Learning to Love
by BULMA16
Summary: A BV AU in which Bulma and Chichi go to Vegetaseii as teachers and enocunter some...conflicts, in the form of the King, Anyla Vegeta's fiancee & the Saiyan race in general. *Doing a bit of editing. Stay tuned for a real update. *
1. Chapter One

Edited April 1, 2008

This is an A/U B/V in which Goku never lived on earth; he's known as Kakkarot and he lives on Vegetaseii which hasn't been blown up by Freeza. The rest of the former DBZ gang is not in existence because they never joined together. Bulma is a teacher, and Chichi is her assistant. **Any more questions, please write them in your review! Thanks for reading all!**

**(Rated: R for language, violence, sexuality)**

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN DBZ. I'M ONLY GOING TO SAY THIS NOW 'CAUSE I'LL FORGET TO LATER.

Learning to Love: Chapter One

"Damn it," Tyler Myers muttered as he finished reading the now crumpled letter for the ninth time, taking off his tortoiseshell glasses and running his fingers through his iron gray hair. "I knew this was going to happen."

The Principal of Satan City's Private Science Academy reluctantly left his office full of special awards and trophies, and trudged down the halls of his school with his hands in his pockets. He passed a wall full of posters, turned the corner and stopped outside of classroom number 141.

He sighed wearily, unwilling to perform the task before him, but knew that he had no choice. When the sovereign ruler of another planet demanded that he receive the best educator of science on the planet, that is exactly what that ruler would receive, no questions asked; especially in this case where it turned out the race of people they were dealing with were known to eliminate entire planets on a whim. Mr. Myers slowly turned the knob and entered the room silently, closing the door behind him.

Bulma paused in mid-sentence, but continued as the principal waved her on. She cleared her throat and smiled at her students, "As I was saying class, a pH level of seven is neutral, one is acidic and fourteen is a base. Lemon juice is an acid." She stopped and made a gesture to a woman sitting with her feet on the desk. Chichi sprang out of her seat and started passing out worksheets.

Bulma raised her voice over the rustling of papers, "Fill out this worksheet, study your chapter seven notes and you'll be ready for your test next time."

The bell sounded loudly outside, making Myers jump a bit.

"Have a great weekend!" Bulma called after the students as they scrabbled out of their seats and onto their next class. Her smile wavered slightly as she noticed the expression on the face of the obviously rattled principal who was waiting for the last child to finally scurry out.

The silence that fell afterward was deafening and a little awkward until Chichi purposely dropped a book, "Oops." She grinned unapologetically as both Bulma and Tyler jumped a bit.

Her blue haired friend smiled and rolled her eyes, her mood becoming more optimistic now. "Was there something I can help you with Principal Myers?"

Tyler sat on the edge of a desk and shook his head sadly at her. "Right now I wish I could help _you_."

Chichi's chair scraped the floor loudly as she stood up, looking from the grave expression on the principal's face to the composed expression on her friend's. "Do you want me to wait outside Bulma?"

"No! Don't be ridiculous Chichi. Whatever he says to me I'm going to wind up telling you anyway."

She reluctantly retook her seat; her dark eyes darting from her friend, to her boss who was frowning slightly in Bulma's direction, and then longingly towards the door her students had so recently left through.

"Maybe you should sit down for this Bulma," Tyler started grimly.

"Kami, is it really that bad?" she asked, sitting slowly, her eyes widening in distress.

Tyler ignored the interruption, determined to keep going now that he'd started. "I received a letter today that has come from the King of…another planet. The Head of Earth's science Department received it and immediately sent it to me, for you." He paused to gauge her reaction so far but he could tell nothing by looking at her face at that moment, so he cleared his throat and continued. "This ruler wants you to go into space and teach science to the children of the elite on that planet. You'll be paid and a ship is being sent for you tomorrow around four at the field in SW City."

Silence followed his proposal until Chichi once again broke it. "How much is he willing to pay?"

Bulma leaned forward, her elbows on the desk and her eyes glittering in anticipation. "Money is not really a factor right now Chichi. This is the opportunity of a lifetime!" Her eyes narrowed suddenly as she realized what Tyler just said. "Did you just say that there is a ship already on it's way here for us?"

Myers nodded dumbly.

She snorted angrily. "So that whoreson ruler _assumed_ I'd agree to come; he's got some nerve!"

Chichi leaped out of her chair and rummaged in the closet as she tried to find her purse. "Let's not worry about the details right now. I'm going home to pack. See you at four Bulma."

Waving absently Bulma stood up from her seat at her desk, not noticing the scowl on Tyler's face as he watched Chichi go. "Is that all you had to tell me Mr. Myers? Any more surprises I need to know about?"

The 49 year old principal's eyes nearly bulged from their sockets (or so it seemed to Bulma). "'Is that _all?_!' Are you _insane_!? You act as if this was the most normal thing in the world! You're going to just up and leave Earth behind for some Kami forsaken rock thousands of miles away from here?"

He made himself calm down once he noticed the odd way Bulma was watching him, but still couldn't keep the bitterness out of his tone. "Listen Bulma, you're a great teacher; the best I've ever seen. I don't want you to go. Anyway, Chichi can't go. The 'invite' is for a teacher, you. Not you plus your freaking sidekick."

Bulma closed her eyes, held her breath and mentally counted to ten. "Chichi is like a sister to me Tyler. I would never leave her here with somebody more juvenile than the students he's supposed to help," she responded, her voice cold. She didn't bother looking at him as she grabbed her purse, bag, and jacket from her desk. "Tell the students that I'll miss them and they're more than welcome to write me. The test is in the bottom drawer along with lesson plans for the rest of the year. Good bye Tyler."

Frantically, Principal Myers grabbed her by her shoulders. "This has got fiasco written all over it Bulma. Please reconsider. I'll- -I'll give you a raise. I'll double what you're making right now! Just please, don't go."

She arched her eyebrows at him before brusquely sweeping his hands from her. "Staying here with an ass like you and leaving this opportunity behind sounds like a much worse type of fiasco Myers, so fuck off." She brushed past him and went out of his school and out of his life forever.

**Later That Day**

"Oh crap, I forgot to cancel the newspaper. I wonder if they'll figure it out? Hmm… I hope so," Bulma said aloud to herself into the deafening silence of her home. She put the last pair of folded socks in her suitcase, then sat on it, locked it shut, capsulated it, and put it with the rest of her capsules in her purse. A series of loud honking noises from outside indicated the arrival of the taxi-driver who was fifteen minutes late. Bulma ran to the front door and held hand out to the driver to indicate that she was in need of a few more minutes.

She closed the door softly behind her and slowly walked back to her bedroom. _The most painful part of leaving Capsule Corporation is leaving the memories of people I love so much._

Her fingers trembled a little as she picked up a picture of a young, smiling girl, sitting in a rocking chair with a man with lavender hair, glasses and a serious look about him and a smiling blonde woman with her hands clasped in excitement. _Mom, Dad, I miss you so much. I __hate__ having to leave and sell our home, but I know you'd both insist I do so if you were still alive._ Bulma absently tucked the picture into her purse as she caught sight of another picture. A newer and fresher pain crept into heart and fresh tears trickled down her cheeks as her cerulean eyes slowly examined the picture. It was a snapshot taken two months ago of a beautiful woman in her mid-twenties smiling up at the black-haired man she had her arms around. This man was smiling at the camera with his hands on the woman's shoulders.

"Yamcha," she croaked past the lump that rapidly rose in her throat. "Why did you have to leave me?"

The human female hugged the picture to her chest, and sobbed like she did the day she'd found out about her beloved's wreck. _You promised me you'd never leave me alone Yamcha, you __swore__ to me. Now I'm alone…no._ She corrected herself, _no, I have Chichi, but I love her like a friend, a sister. She isn't my other half like you were Yamcha. _She ignored the little voice in her head that was mocking her tears; telling her she was wrong. That she was a phony. That she couldn't possibly be crying for any man; especially with a sports loving playboy like Yamcha. It asked her w_eren't you looking for a reason to break up with him?_

She dried her eyes and forced herself to regain her composure, _Vegetaseii is where I'll make a whole new start. I can meet another man; it's not as though I'm ugly or anything. Hmm… I wonder what the males on Vegetaseii look like… _She thought, allowing herself to smile a little and drying her tears on the back of her hand. Bulma picked up the picture in her other free hand and closed her bedroom door behind her and opened the front door. She smiled as the taxi-driver looked up at her from his paper, but she felt a pang of something-regret, remorse, anticipation, perhaps all three-as she locked the door for the last time. Bulma dropped the key in her purse along with her capsules and got into the taxi. "The Field in SW City," she told the driver.

The driver growled something that suspiciously sounded like 'finally' and stepped on the accelerator, sending them zooming off of the CC property, which is now actually the property of Caldebran Technologies according to a deal Bulma made with the company head four hours ago. She didn't look back.

**The Field in SW City**

Chichi was humming tunelessly to herself, but stopped when she looked down from her spot on the hill and saw Bulma getting out of a taxi. "Hey Bulma! Up here!" Chichi waved enthusiastically as she saw her friend looking around. The raven haired woman smiled as Bulma finally made it over to where she was sitting, "Hey stranger."

"Hey yourself," Bulma replied automatically, "Where are your capsules Chichi?"

Chichi stood up, stretching her arms over her head. "They're in my pocket. I didn't bring that many; I don't have a lot of stuff as you know."

Bulma nodded somewhat absently. "Yeah, that's right."

Smiling, Chichi looked into the somewhat dull eyes of her friend. "So did you bring any money?"

"Of course," Bulma laughed. She knew Chichi was about to start mocking her love of clothes and shopping to cheer her up. She stopped suddenly and gasped, pointing up to the sky. "Look Chichi! It's the ship."

Both women stood in awe as the ship began to descend toward them rapidly. Bulma began to wish she had chosen to arrange her hair in a bun like Chichi always did as the wind whipped her blue locks about her face.

Chichi unconsciously drew in her breath as the ramp came down and two figures advanced toward them. As their features became distinguishable from the cloud of dust that was the result of their fast landing, Bulma decided that the two could almost be twins; if the face of one wasn't so obviously lined with age, worry, and scarred by marks of battle. Both had tails and black hair that defied gravity. The one Bulma assumed to be the older of the two fiddled with a thick metal band, like a cuff, around his wrist before speaking to the two women in their language. "Which one of you is the teacher?"

Bulma boldly stepped forward, ignoring the curious looks of the second man. "I am."

The older man nodded, everything about his posture saying that he was eager to get this all over with. "Good…and who is that?"

Chichi blushed as she was caught staring at the younger alien. "I am her assistant."

The strange older man from shrugged in disinterest. "Come on then." With that he turned and walked back up the ramp, not waiting for them.

Chichi scurried quickly after him, purposely brushing against the silent one. "Gomen," she apologized breathily, her cheeks still flushed pink as they made eye contact.

The man smiled briefly and followed behind her, a look of expectation on his face.

Bulma frowned after all three of them for leaving her behind, but finally followed, curious to know what exactly she had gotten herself into.

**Twenty-nine hours into the journey back to Vegetaseii…**

"That's my son, Kakkarot, with your assistant over there, and I am Bardock."

Bulma smiled in relief as the silence between her and the older man was _finally_ broken. "My name is Bulma." She fidgeted on her stool as she watched Bardock absently stroke the cuff on his wrist. "What is that on your wrist?"

Bardock made a noise similar to a muffled chuckle. "I designed them; they're universal translators. You and your assistant will be assigned one once we reach Vegetaseii."

Bardock frowned slightly as he heard giggling. "Then again, your friend may already know the SL in its entirety by then if she and Kakkarot don't ever shut the hells up."

Rolling her eyes, Bulma slowly spun on the stool, but stopped as she was facing the two.

Chichi and Kakkarot were sitting closely together and teaching each other words in their respective languages. Bulma couldn't hear anything because they were whispering to each other, but from the excited look on Chichi's face, she was really enamored with the young man from Vegetaseii. _They're getting along REALLY well, _she thought to herself, ignoring a brief feeling of jealousy.

The female voice of the computer announced that they would be landing in less than ten minutes. Bulma ran to the window and looked out in hopes of seeing some fantastic scenery but lights shining all over the place blinded her and she could see nothing.

"Bardock, what is your race called?" she asked, finally realizing she hadn't been informed of this information yet.

The older man frowned as he looked up from the written orders he had been poring over. "You came here without knowing something that important?" he asked waspishly. At the look on her face, he continued less callously. "Vegetaseii is the home of about 1,000 true Saiyans. About 198 are the super-elite, 350 second-class, and 450 third-class, the rest of the population consists of hybrids or slaves and warriors who were spared during purges."

Bulma quickly mentally added the figures. "What about the last two Saiyans?"

"The last two are King Vegeta and his father, the former king of Vegetaseii," Bardock relayed, sighing impatiently.

The ship landed so gently, Bulma wasn't even aware they'd stopped moving until the voice of the ship began to announce proper disembarking procedures. She grabbed her purse and quickly followed Bardock, Chichi and Kakkarot following close behind her.

She and Chichi simultaneously gasped as they took in the huge crowd near the ship.

"They're all here to see us?" Chichi gasped, quickly making sure her hair hadn't managed to escape her bun.

Bardock smirked as he answered, assisting them in going down the ramp and having them walk to the edge of a long red carpet. "No you foolish girl. They're here to see the King. He's right over there," he said, jerking his head toward a figure walking in their direction with yet another person trailing behind him.

Bardock motioned his son over to him and started speaking to him quietly yet sharply in the SL. Kakkarot blushed and nodded, turning his back to Chichi. "Come on," Bardock ordered the females in his brusque manner.

The crowd was silent as the two Saiyans and two humans walked the length of the red carpet to the King. Bulma frowned at a few who openly gawked; Chichi didn't seem to notice as she was busy concentrating on the posterior side of Kakkarot.

As they continued their approach, Bulma's eyes were first drawn to the King. An imposing and impressionable man to say the least; he had dark black probing eyes, thick ebony hair, furrowed brows, and a long, somewhat aristocratic nose-which Bulma was certain he used for looking down at people. What drew her attention to him besides his electrically charged eyes, was his mouth, which was drawn in a straight line at the moment, but for some reason, she could see those lips on hers, nuzzling her neck, trailing kisses from her collarbone down to her…

Bulma shook her head a little to clear these thoughts from her mind, _Bulma, hormone check. For Kami's sake, he has his wife with him and you are practically drooling at the sight of him. Pathetic. _

The woman with Vegeta was a little shorter than the King, she was very curvaceous, she had black eyes with an alarming twinkle of red in their centers, and black hair with a few rays of red intermixed. She looked angelic, even in the dark red, short, and tight dress she was wearing that revealed the tops of her large pale breasts. Bulma felt a little dowdy in her short khaki skirt, blue tank top with an open white shirt over it, and black sandals, but she tried not to show it. _I wonder if Chichi feels self-conscious at all?_ She glanced over at her friend, only to find her exchanging furtive looks with Kakkarot. Bulma rolled her eyes, _Hell's bells, Chichi could be walking around in a hamburger bun and I doubt she'd notice right now._

Bardock cleared his throat and turned the translator off, making his announcement loudly in Saiyago, or the Saiyan Language (SL). "King Vegeta and Lady Anyla, I present to you the head science instructor from earth; Bulma Briefs, and her assistant, Chichi."

King Vegeta frowned. "Are you trying to tell me that scrawny thing there is the best that filthy little piece of shit planet had to offer? How pathetic."

"I'm sure she'll prove to be satisfactory, sire," Bardock responded quickly in defense of the woman, much to the surprise of the King, Kakkarot, and himself.

Vegeta raised his eyebrows, curious. "What makes you think that, Lieutenant?"

Bardock flinched as he heard the King use his title-it could never be high enough to his standards. "I've spoken with her sire. I believe she is highly intelligent. And exactly what it is we're looking for." _T__hough she can drive any Saiyan in his right mind bat-shit in less than 30 minutes with that inquisitive nature of hers…_he thought to himself, the corner of his mouth twitching.

"That will be determined," Vegeta replied absently. He shook Anyla off of his arm impatiently, ignoring the whimper she made as she was forced to stand-alone. He pointed to the blue-haired woman and beckoned for her to come forward.

Bulma could tell by listening to their tones as they spoke their foreign language that the King was displeased at something. The woman beside him was watching her with cold eyes, her gaze returning to the King every once in a while. Something about Anyla's eyes was hypnotizing and she found herself feeling lost in them for a moment until Chichi elbowed her roughly in the ribs and shoved her toward the King.

_That jerk; beckoning to me like I'm supposed to kiss his ass or something. Arrogance is exuding from every fiber of his being. _Much to her relief, this thought diminished any amorous feelings she may have been experiencing earlier, and she inclined her head proudly as she followed the King's order, moving closer to him.

Vegeta addressed her in her native tongue. "So…you are the best educator of science earth has to offer?" He paused and Bulma could hear the mockery in his voice. "Let's hope outward appearances are deceiving, because you don't look smart enough to tie shoelaces, much less teach science to the Saiyan elite."

Chichi inhaled sharply at that, her eyes widening as she waited for her best friend to lose her legendary temper.

Seething, Bulma slowly and quietly exhaled her pent up breath, her fists clenched at her side. "I think it's best we don't start on outward appearances Your Highness, otherwise I might find myself making some observations that would result in my being fired. I can assure you, I am the teacher you are looking for."

Bardock and Chichi stared at her as if she had just sprouted three additional heads but said nothing; waiting for the explosion that was likely to follow that thinly veiled insult.

Vegeta made a dismissive gesture with his hand at her words. "You may very well be the smartest woman on earth, but people there are generally idiots and sheep. Your being the smartest there is like…what is that earth saying? In the land of the blind the one eyed man is king." He crossed his arms over his muscular chest, a slow smirk appearing on his lips as he did so. "My question is, relatively speaking, how do your 'earth smarts' compare to our own; a mixture of some of the most brilliant men in the universe?"

For the first time in her life, Bulma was speechless; she didn't like it one bit.

_I may not be the smartest in the universe-even I can admit that-but I know for damn sure that I'm smarter than you, you misogynist son of a bitch _Bulma thought angrily. She didn't allow herself to respond, because she knew the moment she opened her mouth, there was not telling what kind of insults would pour forth. _If I wasn't so determined to start a new life here, I'd give him a piece of my mind. _

Vegeta smirked and shrugged as if to say, 'Hey, I knew I was right.' He slowly closed the distance between them and smirked into her stunned face. "First lesson woman: how to greet royalty." He took one of the limp hands from her side and turned it palm-side up and kissed it. Bulma jerked a little when she felt his teeth lightly scrape against her skin. Her eyes widened as he looked up and dropped the hand. The King pushed the silent woman, Anyla, toward her. "This is the future Queen," he stated gruffly, not quite meeting her eyes.

Anyla's eyes shone brightly and her smile was sugary sweet and angelic despite the look of death she'd been shooting the blue haired woman moments before. "Welcome to Vegetaseii Bulma." She curtseyed very prettily, despite the length of her dress.

Unsure of what to do, Bulma laughed a little nervously. "Thank you…um—"

"Anyla."

"Thank you Queen Anyla."

"Not yet she isn't," Bardock muttered to Kakkarot his voice so low his son could barely hear him despite how close together they were standing.

Anyla giggled. "I'm not the queen yet, silly! We're going to be friends so you can call me Anyla."

Bulma smiled at the Saiyan beauty, not buying the sweet cutesy act for a moment. "Thank you."

Vegeta impatiently held his arm out to Anyla and turned to Bardock. "You. Arrange whatever this earth female needs and let her know what she needs to do so that she can get started tomorrow. Kakkarot." He paused as his sparring partner sprang to attention. "Prepare to get your ass kicked in my personal gravity room at 1900 hours."

"Yes sire." Kakkarot responded eagerly.

Bulma watched the couple turn and leave in confusion. _It all happened so fast! _She waited for Bardock to finish talking to Kakkarot, who nodded in agreement with whatever the older man had said and then walked off into the crowd. "Bardock, what was that all about? And when do I get a translator?"

Chichi pouted up at the Saiyan. "Yeah, when do we get our translators?"

Bardock rolled his eyes. "As to your first question, the reason this happened in public is that this serves the King accepting your presence here on Vegetaseii, which guarantees that you will be accepted as worthy to teach the children of the nobles, do you understand?" The earth women nodded in comprehension. "Second question: you'll receive them tomorrow, now be quiet and follow me."

The crowd parted as Bardock made a beeline through them and to a long hallway with high metal walls, after making a few turns, Bardock stopped outside of a door numbered 121-122. "Here are your rooms. You can program your password yourselves. There is a Visual and Audio Projector Screen in there that you can use to make receive calls; to order food or assistance or whatever." He paused a moment as he noticed Bulma intently studying the symbols on the entrance device, and then continued. "You two will sit in on the former teacher's last day of class tomorrow at 0900 hours sharp. The classroom is at the end of this hallway and to the right. You'll get your translators in the morning, after I adjust them." With that, he left.

"What? No good bye?" Bulma sighed deeply her hand over her heart in mock devastation.

"Oh, knock it off Bulma. I have an idea for our password: earth backwards, that way it'll be really hard for anyone to guess it."

"Whatever, that's fine. I just want to get inside of my room, get out of these clothes, and get into a sudsy bathtub," Bulma groused, entering HTRAE into the system.

"Your password has been stored. You may now enter," the computer said, opening the door.

_Now why would the Saiyans want to computerize when a person exits and leaves a room unless they have some kind of surveillance…_Bulma thought in suspicion, looking for cameras.

For some reason, the two hung outside the door, as if they were afraid to go inside. Bulma cleared her throat when she noticed the raven haired woman looking at her expectantly. "Hey, I thought you and muscles were going to be you know, _together_," she wiggled her brows suggestively.

Chichi laughed. "Give me a break. Just because the man is cute and is obviously attracted to me doesn't mean I'm going to sleep with him. He's just eye-candy while I'm here; he keeps my mind off of jerks like that Bardock guy. And that King who is a major dick."

Bulma frowned, finally stepping through the door into their rooms. "I like Bardock Chichi. He's a nice guy; just a little rough around the edges."

Her friend snorted. "I think he's one giant rough edge." With her keen vision, she looked to the two doors, one on the left and one on the right, and walked to the one on the right. "I'll take this one."

Bulma groped along the wall until she found a switch turning on the lights. They stood in a medium sized "living room" with the VAP Bardock had told them about, a desk with a lamp, a couch, a chair, and a small bookcase with a few dusty volumes on it. On the floor was a picture of a man with a tail and black hair-_a Saiyan,_ Bulma corrected herself-holding planets in his hands. Written beneath the figure were strange figures,_ I have the feeling I know pretty much what that says, but I'll ask Bardock about it tomorrow anyway._

She heard a door close, and realized that Chichi had finally gone into one of the rooms that split off of the kitchen, in the back of the "living room" or the common room. The kitchen was medium in size, with cold, metal cabinets, a refrigerator, and a small stove. The earth woman walked through the kitchen and to the closed door on the right.

Bulma opened it slowly, finding the light switch again, and turning it on. The room was not much bigger than either the commons or the kitchen, but it seemed to Bulma like Heaven. She threw herself unceremoniously on the bed, bouncing on the mattress a few times before settling down with a contented sigh._ Ah, this is the life. I'll just close my eyes for a second, then I'll go shower, _she thought, doing so. Unfortunately for Bulma, her brain had different plans and once it shut down for that one second, she was out for the rest of the night.

The End of Chapter One


	2. Chapter Two

THANK YOU FOR THE REVIEWS EVERYONE

Edited April 1, 2008

Thank you so much for the reviews everyone! Not much else to say except please read and review!

DISCLAIMER: The depressing truth is that I don't, haven't, won't, and can't ever own DBZ.

Learning to Love: Chapter Two

The next thing she knew, someone was shaking her insistently, dragging her from dreams of a dark eyed man with a raspy voice. "What the hell do you want?" Bulma growled, keeping her eyes squeezed shut.

"Wake up lazy bones, we have to go to work in a few minutes," Chichi answered, yanking the sheets off the bed.

Bulma swore under her breath before finally rousing herself. After a long, hot shower, a change of clothes, and a cup of coffee, she felt much better. As she looked in the newly stocked refrigerator she was amazed to find that much of the Saiyan food was similar to the food found on earth. She sighed in relief as she found a fruit similar to an apple and took a bite, closing her eyes in bliss at the taste as she closed the refrigerator door.

Chichi closed the door from her quarters behind her and smiled at seeing her friend's happy face. "You're finally up; I'm glad." She opened the door to the fridge, brushing past the silently chewing Bulma. "What's good to eat in here?"

Bulma waved the fruit in her hand in the air, not verbally responding because she was chewing still and then wandered into the commons, absently taking another bite of the fruit. Her eyes brightened as she saw two slender silver bracelets resting on the table. Picking them up, she turned to Chichi, swallowing her food. "Look, we got our translators!"

Chichi rolled her eyes, cutting herself a hunk of cheese and grabbing an apple. "I know, they were outside of the door when I got up this morning. Now go get your stuff and let's go!" She closed the refrigerator and took the translator from Bulma putting it around her wrist.

Her blue-eyed friend quickly put hers on also, picked up a hair clip, and took a quick glance in the mirror to make sure her curly shoulder-length hair was in place, red halter top was properly situated, mid-thigh length black skirt was wrinkle free, and that her smile was as radiant as ever. _I hope this will leave those Saiyans with a good first impression. Who knows, maybe I'll find a new guy for my new start. Just because the king was such an asshole doesn't necessarily mean—_

"Vegetaseii to Bulma, Vegetaseii to Bulma, are you there?" Chichi asked impatiently, her hands on her hips.

Bulma snapped out of her reverie, her expression sheepish. "Yeah, sorry, I was just...thinking. Let's go."

"I can't believe we're late on our first day." Chichi grumbled as the two left their rooms, a feeling of expectancy following them.

**In the Classroom**

Egplnta rose from her seat gracefully her previous facade of innocence and goodness gone. It would be hard to tell by looking at her that she was the leader of elite students assembled there. This ten year old with long black hair, startling large brown eyes-a strange trait among pure blooded Saiyans-impossibly long black lashes, four feet two inch child of a noble was a rebel, as her shirt proudly proclaimed. Silence reigned as everyone held their breath, eager to see what their classmate was up to.

Egplnta turned her head and looked at a boy behind her with very short, spiky black hair and dark eyes. He smiled and nodded at her. She slowly turned to face front again, reassured.

Their instructor hesitantly met her eyes; nervously clearing his throat as he did so. "Is something wrong Egplnta?"

She crossed her arms over her chest and squarely faced the much older man. "Yeah, I'd say there is. My father said there's a foreigner taking over your job. Is that right?"

The weary Saiyan nodded, a look of relief on his face. "Yes, your father is right. The best and brightest scientist King Vegeta could find is taking over my position and--"

A knock on the door interrupted him. Eager for the distraction the Saiyan opened the door. The two Earth women walked in and stood before the class. Their instructor tore his eyes from them long enough to say. "Students, your new teacher...um teachers," he amended quickly.

Bulma took a step forward. "Hello," she said, greeting them with the full wattage of her smile. She was sorely disappointed to be met with silence from her new pupils. Her smiled slowly disappeared and turned into a frown, "Is this translator on?" she asked aloud to herself, checking the bracelet that was around her wrist.

"We can understand you perfectly," a small girl in a black shirt with blue writing replied, her voice bored. "We just choose not to answer." She sat down, a challenge in her eyes.

A mischievous smirk graced Bulma's face for a microsecond. _So, this is going to be harder than I thought. Good. I think I probably would have been bored and disappointed if they'd greeted me with open arms. I'm guessing that girl is their leader or at least their spokesperson. Well, we'll see how they do once I switch the charm on_.

"That's fine," she told them, shrugging her shoulders as if she couldn't care less. As her eyes scanned the room, she noticed that all of the children were watching the little girl; except for one boy in the back who was smiling openly at her. She winked at him and sauntered over to the side of the 'rebel'.

"Let's play a game. If I win, you have to co-operate with me and let me do my job. If I lose, class goes on as you want it and everyone gets a perfect score. Agreed?" Bulma ignored the gasps she heard from the students and the two other adults in the room and kept her attention focused on the child before her.

The girl smirked, "Agreed."

"Awesome. I call this game 'Secret'. Are you ready?"

"Yes."

"Okay, I'm going to guess five things about you. If what I say is right, you hold up a finger," the earth woman began, taking a deep breath.

The rebel nodded, curious as to how this oddly complexioned woman was going to go about this.

Bulma closed her eyes for a few seconds. "Your name is Egplnta, right?"

The girl's smirk wavered only slightly and she silently held up a finger.

Nodding, the blue eyed earth native continued. "Your father is an important guy that works closely with the King."

A second finger went up.

"You had an older brother who died while he was on another planet. Your mother killed herself when she found out. Am I right so far?" Bulma asked, opening her eyes for confirmation

Nodding slightly, her mouth wide open in shock, and her eyes locked onto Bulma's, Egplnta held up two more fingers.

Her voice turned to a whisper that only Egplnta could hear. "You go to sleep at night and wonder why these things happened to you, what wrong you could have committed to deserve your life. You have only one love now and that's fighting."

Egplnta held up her last finger on her hand but shook her head whispering in reply to Bulma's last statement. "I have other loves besides fighting. My father, my people, my planet, and my honor."

Bulma felt her heart go out to the troubled youth but said nothing in reply.

Egplnta spoke in normal tones so that the rest of the class could hear them, her voice full of admiration. "How could you know all of that stuff about me? You just got here!"

Winking, Bulma crossed her arms over her chest and shook her head. "That's why the game's called Secret; it's a secret." She walked to the front of the classroom, aware that every pair of eyes in the classroom was following her.

Their former instructor cleared his throat, his hand on the doorknob. "I don't think you need me here anymore. Lesson plans are in the desk drawer along with the grade-book. Good luck." He left quietly.

Bulma smiled at Chichi, who was staring at her friend in disbelief. She sat on the desk and crossed her legs. "Well, it's my first day, and I want to know more about you guys, so when it's your turn, tell me your name, your age, and something about you."

After listening to about seven students, she finally reached Egplnta, who stood as the Saiyan child before her sat down, "My name is Egplnta, I'm ten years old, and my father is the King's coordinator."

Nodding, Bulma smiled and gestured for the next person to go. About three students after Egplnta was the boy who smiled at Bulma earlier. He stood lazily, a lopsided smile on his face. "My name is Maize, I'm 12 years old, and my parents are dead."

"Who do you live with then?"

"I live alone."

Bulma wasn't sure what to say to that. On earth that would have been a big deal, but it obviously wasn't here. "Oh. I see. Next person please."

After all of the students were done Bulma nudged Chichi who was leaning against the desk next to her and looking bored.

Chichi smiled a little nervously, "You guys can call me Chichi, I'm 24 years old, my parents died a long time ago, I've been an assistant teacher for two years now, and I love it."

Taking a deep breath, Bulma spoke, "My name is Bulma, you guys can call me Miss Briefs or 'Bulma-san', I'm older than Chichi by a year and I've been teaching for 3 and 1/2 years."

Maize waved his hand in the air a moment, not waiting to be called on before asking his question. "Are you mated or are you single?"

Bulma tapped her foot pensively on the desk. _I'm guessing mated for them is married for us earthlings_. "I'm single."

The boys in the class smirked at each other.

Egplnta rolled her eyes, "You do know that all the guys in here want to fuck you right?"

Bulma had a coughing fit but recovered as Chichi slapped her on the back in an effort to help. She winced slightly, ignoring the giggling of the class. "The classroom is not the place for such discussions Egplnta."

The ten year old smiled innocently, folding her hands on her desk, and wrapping her tail around her waist. "It's true though. Why can't I say so?"

Re-crossing her legs, Bulma grimaced as she tried to come up with an answer. "Well...I don't know why not. It just isn't done."

"They want to jump Chichi too, but not as bad, because she isn't as foreign looking as you," Egplnta continued, oblivious to the shocked looks from the raven haired human. "All of us girls want to fuck the King."

"Egplnta, don't use that word again or--" Bulma's face took on a look of absolute horror as she realized who they were just talking about. "The King?!"

Egplnta smiled devilishly. "Yeah and his guard, Kakkarot."

Chichi's eyes widened in surprise. She turned slightly and murmured so that only Bulma could hear her. "You've got to admit that they have good taste...in men AND women."

Rolling her eyes, Bulma leaped nimbly off the desk, looking at a clock on the desk, "When is this class over?"

Maize and Egplnta glanced at their watches and simultaneously blurted. "In three minutes."

_Thank Kami for that,_ Bulma thought in relief. "Well, I'll see you guys tomorrow. Make sure you're ready to work and ready to learn. Oh," she added as an afterthought, a smirk on her face and a challenge in her eyes, "And if you don't think you can handle me, my assistant, or the material we will be covering, feel free to leave now, no questions asked and no hard feelings on our part."

No one moved. Bulma dusted her clothes off and smiled as the bell rang. "Bye everyone."

Egplnta lagged behind the others, waiting until she was the last student in the room.

"Miss, are you two going to dine with King Vegeta tonight?"

Bulma looked at Chichi, who shrugged, and then turned back to the child. "We didn't hear anything about it until just now, so I doubt we're invited."

"Oh," the girl said studying a spot on her left boot. "It's just that I usually go with my father and there's never anyone there I want to talk to."

Bulma smiled reassuringly. "I promise that if I'm invited, I'll go. How's that?"

Egplnta looked up, her face joyful. "Okay." She left the room in a near run as the one-minute bell rang.

"What a sweet child," Bulma said thoughtfully, turning to the yawning Chichi.

Her friend snorted. "Sweet is not the word I was thinking of to describe her." Her pretty face wrinkled in confusion as she remembered something, "How did you guess all of that stuff about her?"

Laughing, Bulma pulled a sheet of paper from the desk. "I came in here really early this morning and memorized the former instructor's notes on each of the children. He found me and told me to watch out for Egplnta, so I made sure I memorized as much as I could about her."

Chichi laughed a little nervously. "At first I thought you were psychic or something."

Bulma folded the sheet, shut the drawer in the desk and followed Chichi out the door, closing and locking it behind her. "I wish."

"I guess that explains why you were so tired this morning," Chichi mused aloud to herself.

They walked in silence the short distance to their rooms; each engrossed in their own thoughts. Bulma followed Chichi through their door after her friend entered their code, so caught up in her thoughts she didn't hear the sound of the door closing behind her.

"I still can't believe we were late on our first day," Chichi muttered, throwing herself into a chair and kicking off her shoes. She took the ribbon out of her hair and let her long black tresses fall around her shoulders. "I wonder if they have shampoo here."

Bulma grimaced as she pushed a strand of blue hair that had escaped her clip behind her ears. "I hope so."

A knock outside their door interrupted their conversation. Both women looked at the door and then slowly looked at each other. A challenge flashed in Bulma's eyes and Chichi's reflected it. Both women simultaneously leaped from where they were sitting and raced for the door. Chichi got there first. Bulma stuck her tongue out at her friend and sat in the chair, watching the door.

Chichi cursed under her breath as she realized her hair was loose about her shoulders, but finally shrugged and opened the door quickly. "Yes?"

Startled at Chichi's change in appearance, Bardock took a step back, before finally regaining his previous composure. "You two have been ordered to appear at dinner tomorrow with the King. Kakkarot and I will escort you." With that said, he left.

Chichi pushed the button to close the door and turned to her friend who was waiting impatiently. "Well?"

"The King wants us to dine with him tomorrow at."

Bulma scowled. "Does he? I wanted to literally kill him yesterday; I don't see how I'm going to get through a dinner without smashing something over his smug head."

Chichi put her hair back in a bun, a few bobby pins in her mouth. "Yeah, me too."

The blue eyed earthling raised her eyebrows at her companion. "Are you sure you even noticed him? You spent so much time staring at and talking to Kakkarot, that I was sure you were oblivious to your surroundings."

Chichi blushed and shook her head. "There's just something about him. I haven't met another man quite like him."

"That's sweet." Rolling her eyes, Bulma got out of her chair and opened the door to her quarters. "I'm going to shower, order lunch, and decide what I'm going to wear tomorrow. What time is it now?"

"It's nearly1300 hours." Chichi went to her bedroom door. "I better do the same thing; I can't have you showing me up now can I?" she joked.

**The next morning... **

"Vegeta, you can't just walk in here, screw my brains out, and then just leave!"

Vegeta paused only momentarily in his tracks before he picked up his scouter and turned to the woman screaming at him answering her with a tone that was dangerously calm, and infuriatingly devoid of emotion. "Don't. You. **Ever**, tell me what I can and can not do. Do you understand me Anyla? You can be replaced my dear, I hope you remember that."

She lowered her eyes demurely, her heart racing. "Yes, Vegeta."

Opening the door, and leaving angrily Vegeta muttered. "Good. I'll see you later tonight then."

Anyla crossed her arms over her chest, shook her head, and sighed in exasperation, running her hands through her hair. _I'm losing him_. _This all started two days ago…when that earth woman got here. _

She growled suddenly in anger and stormed from her room. Scowling, she bulldozed her way through a small gathering of slaves. One unfortunate man about 36 years of age got in her way and since he was weak and sickly attracted her attention. Smirking evilly, she knocked the man to the floor and sent him onto the next live.

"Let that be a lesson to you all to stay out of my way," she hissed at the horrified slave onlookers. "You," she growled at one of them. "Tell me where the science classroom is."

YES! I FINISHED THIS CHAPTER, STARTED MG, & LOOKED OVER WAV. NOW I CAN SLEEP ) OKAY I NEED YOUR INPUT TO MAKE THIS STORY BETTER! THANKS A LOT! BULMA16 PS: THANKS FOR BETA-ING ILSE!


	3. Chapter Three

Edited April 7, 2008

_Edited April 7, 2008_

Learning to Love: Chapter Three

The day had been a pleasant one so far. The teaching duo had spent a cozy night talking fashion, working out how to use their VAP, and wound up watching a movie and ordering food to their rooms.

Bulma was pleased to find that her class was eager to learn and only slightly disorderly that day, so she started right in on the lesson for the day, every once in a while pausing to write notes on the dry erase board. "What's important to remember is that the overall charge of an atom is neutral, because there are always just as many electrons as there are protons. To find the number of neutrons in an atom, we must subtract the number of-"

She was cut off as the classroom door was slammed open so violently that quite a few students jumped in their seats.

"You fucking bitch!" Anyla spat out venomously from the doorway, her eyes gleaming maniacally, her hair tousled, yet still beautiful, her chest heaving in outrage.

Chichi moved to her friend's side, raised her eyebrows and jerked her head in the Saiyan woman's direction, letting the blue haired woman know she'd take care of Anyla if Bulma so desired. Bulma shook her head curtly and turned again to face the stormy female Saiyan. "Is there a problem, Lady Anyla?" she asked, hiding her anger behind a mask of cool, cordial politeness.

"Don't act innocent. You know good and damned well there is! You're trying to take Vegeta from me, whore! You and that fool, Lord Vegeta, are in on this together! You both hate me and don't want me to be Queen!" Anyla screeched, the red in her black eyes giving her a demonic appearance as she stormed across the room, stopping within two feet of the head teacher.

No one in the room dared to move a muscle; all attention was on the two women staring each other down in the middle of the classroom. Chichi was the first to react. Her black eyes narrowed angrily and she took a step forward, about to show the King's fiancé why she'd won the woman's division martial arts competition two years running back on earth until Bulma beat her to it. Closing the distance between herself and Anyla so that she was within inches of her, her blue eyes alight with anger.

"I can see that your paranoia and insecurity are driving you at the moment, so I am going to speak loudly and slowly so that even you can understand me. I. Hate. Your. Fiancé. _**Despise**_ him. As a matter of fact, there isn't a word strong enough to describe my disdain for him, so the chances of me ever wanting to take him from you is about as likely as you ever having a coherent thought," she ground out from between clenched teeth, still managing to hold onto her temper rather well in her opinion.

Anyla's expressions changed rapidly from a mixture of anger and bloodlust, then to confusion, and dawning realization. The Saiyan woman unconsciously took a step away from the earth teacher. "Just make sure you stay away from him or the punishment will be severe." She spun on her heel and was about to walk out the door when Bulma's voice stopped her.

"You're not the Queen yet, so I don't have to listen to you. You're nobody. From what I gather, you're nothing more than a well-kept, unpaid whore."

Egplnta smirked at that. "Oh, she's better than that Miss Bulma. She's the King's bed warmer." Her classmates snickered; their hatred for the female Saiyan evident from the expressions on their faces.

Chichi scowled at the fuming Saiyan woman. "If you ever come near me or Bulma in such a way again, I swear to Kami, I will make you suffer so badly you will beg me to kill you."

Fear briefly flitted across Anyla's face and was then replaced with her customary smugness. "Yeah right. You can't keep your guard up forever. I have a curse; I always get what I want. And if I want you and your bitchy friend dead, then that's what's going to happen," With that said, she was gone, slamming the door shut behind her.

"I'll be damned," Maize stated in his usual easy going manner. "I don't think she likes either of you very much."

"Good observation Maize," Egplnta replied, rolling her eyes. "Anyla hates everyone except for King Vegeta and that's probably because he's the only one willing to put up with her. She's never had any friends or anything. She killed her own parents to get where she is; my father said that when her father found out how evil she is, he tried to get rid of her, but she killed him first, and then had her mother raped and killed just because. I don't know why the King even bothers to put up with her crap."

"She must be a really good lay," Maize commented lazily. The male students nodded their heads sagely in agreement.

Bulma's eyes softened as her students' words cheered her up a little, the anger almost gone completely. "Has she always been so…so-"

"So bitchy," Chichi supplied, sitting in the chair behind Bulma's desk and drawing absently on a scrap piece of paper, a little disappointed she hadn't been able to wipe the floor with the Saiyan bitch.

Bulma nodded, leaning up against the edge of the desk. "Yeah, that's the word I was looking for."

Her students answered at once.

"Always!"

"Unfortunately."

"Oh yeah."

"Since the day she was born."

Their science instructor shrugged her shoulders. "Why am I not surprised? Okay, we have exactly-" she glanced at her watch, "Five minutes left in class. You're free to do as you please AFTER you pick up the homework sheet from Chichi."

Chichi opened a file labeled "homework assignments" from the desk drawer and handed one to each student as they filed past the desk. Once they all sat down, and started talking excitedly amongst themselves she went back to her drawing; drawing a rope around the neck of a sketch of a dark haired woman, and then having that rope hang from a tree. "I wish you let me fight her Bulma."

After a slight hesitation, Bulma turned to her best friend, a thoughtful expression on her face. "You can't fight all of my battles for me. Anyla's right, your guard can't be up all of the time. I've got to take care of myself."

She looked up finally from her drawing, a small smile on her face. "Famous last words," Chichi teased.

The bell rang signifying the end of class. The students grabbed their stuff and left, a few calling 'goodbye' to the two earth females, most still discussing the scene they'd witnessed in the classroom.

As the door closed behind the last student, Bulma sighed in relief, leaning all the way back on the desk until her legs dangled from one side and her head hung from the other, her arms flung out to the sides so that her body made a 't'. "Finally! Kami, I can't even begin to express how glad I am that today is over," she groaned, squeezing her eyes shut.

.

"Here, here!" Chichi agreed wholeheartedly, getting out of the chair and moving around her friend carefully as she walked toward the door, smiling mischievously as she spoke. "Are you sure you should be doing that Bulma? What if Anyla was to walk in here right now?"

As the last syllable passed her lips the door opened.

Bulma kept her eyes shut and called. "Can't be her; whoever opened the door just now did it like someone who wasn't raised in a barn. It better be that ass Brocco telling me that I don't have to go to dinner tonight. After the day I've had, I'm not sure I could handle dealing with any more of Vegetaseii's egomaniacally pretentious elitist-"

A deep chuckle interrupted her ranting.

_Please Kami, don't let it be who I think it is,_ she prayed anxiously. Once she opened her eyes slowly, she was greeted by the sight of an upside down Vegeta smirking at her. The mortified female closed her eyes again for a moment, swearing fluently in her head before she slid down off of the desk and onto her feet, taking a moment to adjust her clothing before making a hasty curtsey, her cheeks flushed in embarrassment.

Vegeta waved his hand dismissively at the gesture, his eyes full of mocking laughter. "I'm almost glad I took the time myself to see how things are faring here," he drawled, crossing his arms over his chest.

Bulma's eyes darted past him to meet those of her raven haired friend, who was standing by the door, a sheepish expression on her face. "I'm so glad you did," she lied, meeting Vegeta's gaze once again, managing to look calm and dignified despite her inner mortification and vexation brought about by his presence.

He snorted in disbelief. "Somehow I doubt that." The King's expression sobered a bit as he remembered something. "Just so you know, now that you and your assistant are a crucial part of the staff, your attendance at dinner meetings is mandatory."

Her eyebrows twitched as she struggled to keep from screaming out the thoughts that were racing through her mind.

"Of course, Your Highness. We are only too h-happy to oblige," she managed to croak out past the lump of bile in her throat.

His eyes narrowed a moment as he tried to decide if she was being serious or not and then his smirk returned in full force and then some. "I see you finally realize your inferiority and place here; your only job is to 'oblige' me." He paused and a mischievous glint was in his eyes as he continued. "In any way I deem necessary." Vegeta chuckled and left, as quickly and silently as he'd arrived, not noticing the flabbergasted expression on the earthling's face.

The moment the door closed behind him, Bulma sank into her chair, laying her forehead on her desk.

Feeling a bit guilty for not having warned her friend of Vegeta's entrance in the first place, Chichi cleared her throat, approaching her friend hesitantly. "Bulma? Are you okay?"

The blue haired woman laughed humorlessly, her voice muffled. "I swear to Kami Chichi I'm going to lose my temper with that bastard some day soon Chichi. And it's going to be ugly."

**The Dining Hall**

**Later That Same Night…**

"Where's Anyla?" Chichi blurted, interrupting Lettuco.

The Saiyan's eyes briefly darted to the suddenly expressionless King before he cleared his throat and answered her query. "She's resting."

The raven-haired beauty sniffed angrily. "Of course. She needs to regain her strength a hard day of disrupt-"A pointed look accompanied by a swift kick under the table from her best friend silenced her.

The King's top officers exchanged puzzled expressions, completely ignorant of what had happened earlier that day; which was just how Bulma wanted it to stay. "Is your daughter resting also?" she asked the King's coordinator to fill the silence.

Lettuco chuckled softly at the mention of his only offspring and shook his head as he answered. "The brat's sparring with that boy, Maize. She's been neglecting her training and her power level is starting to reflect this."

Bulma glanced at Chichi before replying. "I was thinking about maybe working on my fighting skills a bit."

The King snorted disdainfully. "Good idea. Anyone with your present power level wouldn't last a second in a fight with even the 10 year olds here."

Lord Vegeta, who had been relatively quiet without his favorite person to pick on around, cut Bulma off before she could reply. "Oh come on brat, you say that as if strength is everything. I confess that stamina is an important issue, but surely her beauty counts for something?"

"Very little," was the harsh reply.

The blue-haired vixen felt anger rising in her chest as she glared at the King. "I'm going to forget for a moment that you just insulted my flawless physical appearance and point out that you value strength above all else. Which means that intelligence means nothing to you," she paused a moment, a mischievous smirk that nearly put Vegeta's to shame on her face. "Why am I **not** surprised? Especially since you have the lowest amount of brain mass of any person that I have ever encountered…excluding of course, your choice in fuck buddy. To each his own, hmm?"

Bardock started to choke and Kakkarot slapped him vigorously on the back dislodging the food and nearly dislodging his father's spine along with it. "Are you okay Father?" he asked anxiously, purposefully refusing to even look in Vegeta's direction just then.

The faintest tinge of pink could be found on the bridge of the older Saiyan's nose. "Yeah, yeah," he grumbled, taking a long drink from his glass.

Vegeta, who hadn't noticed near death of his Lieutenant, scowled at his science department head, his voice controlled. "I'm fucking certain, woman, that I've made it abundantly clear from the beginning what kind of behavior is expected from you."

She rejoiced inwardly. It was his turn now. Bulma feigned nonchalance, shrugging her shoulders and taking another bite of her food, not even looking at him. "Yeah, what about it?"

If she looked closely enough, Bulma would have been able to see a vein pulsating on the King's forehead. "Didn't I tell you that-"

The doors to the dining room opened and Anyla stood there, a smirk on her face and wearing a beautiful knee length black halter dress that showed off all her best assets.

Instinctively, Bulma's eyes went to Vegeta to gauge his reaction. The King looked as surprised to see the melodramatic female as everyone else. He stood up and everyone else at the table hastened to rise with him. "Anyla, I thought you were going to stay in bed."

She sat down next to Bulma, a smile on her face as she looked into Vegeta's black eyes. "I got hungry."

Lord Vegeta's eyes shone in excitement as he sensed an opening, but he held his tongue as his son shot him a warning look. Everyone sat back down and tried to ignore the increased tension that threatened to suffocate everyone in the room.

Chichi's eyes sparkled in hatred, but she said nothing. The silence was deafening. Anyla didn't even seem to notice as she began to slowly eat her meal, a very convincing innocent smile on her face.

"A pity you didn't have your meal sent to your room," Bulma sighed, pushing her food away from her.

"Lost your appetite?" Lord Vegeta asked the world renowned scientist sympathetically. "Can't say I blame you. I think everyone else here feels the exact same way."

Anyla looked up from her food, a retort on her lips that died as she met the intense dislike in the eyes of Kakkarot, Lord Vegeta, Bulma, and Chichi, her vacuous smile quickly becoming a grimace. "This isn't fair. You're all up against me when I haven't done anything to you. This is some scheme you made to take my place," she snarled, pointing at Bulma.

The accused snorted derisively. "Oh give me a break," she muttered, rolling her eyes.

King Vegeta frowned at Anyla. "Don't be an idiot Anyla. Vegetaseii does not rotate around you."

Anyla's tone and expression quickly became all innocence once again. "I'm sorry Vegeta."

He completely ignored her apology, his voice taking on a rough edge as he remembered something. "Which reminds me…what's this I hear about you paying the science classroom a visit today?" he asked, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms over his chest.

The icy tone of Vegeta's fiancée made Bulma shiver despite herself as the Saiyan female turned to meet her gaze. "You told him."

Pissed off at the King for bringing it up but unable to direct that anger at him-at least for the moment-she decided to take that aggravation out on the wretched specimen before her. "Sorry to burst your bubble, but no, I didn't. If you wanted to save face in front of your keeper, you should never have made such a spectacle to begin with."

"You fucking liar," Anyla hissed so that only Bulma could hear her. She turned back to the expectant Vegeta, a perfectly composed expression on her doll-like features. "Well, I really wanted to befriend Bulma, so I went looking for her during her class. The students were rude, I got upset and then I left."

Vegeta's brows furrowed in frank disbelief as he looked into the female Saiyan's eyes. He ignored the skeptical looks he was getting from all around, and a squawk of outrage from the dark haired earthling, and turned his gaze to Bulma. "Is this true?"

There was a moment of silence as she considered the consequences of what she was about to do. "Yes," Bulma lied through her teeth, trying not to reveal the truth through her eyes as she squarely made eye contact with the King. Ignoring Chichi's gasp and the unconvinced glances of Kakkarot, Lettuco, and Bardock, she continued, "I apologize for my students' behavior Anyla."

Anyla smiled sweetly at Bulma and hugged her, ignoring the stiffening she sensed in the human's body. "That's okay. I wouldn't let something like that keep me from wanting to be friends with you Bulma," she very nearly purred.

"I think I'm going to be sick," Lord Vegeta said in a mock whisper; Bardock and Kakkarot nodded in agreement.

Bulma coughed as the Saiyan woman hugged her even tighter, squeezing the oxygen from her lungs and making her heart rate race. "It hurts…doesn't it?" she asked the captive earth woman, her voice low and conversational. "With just a little more pressure, I could obliterate your ribcage, dislodge your sternum." Anyla released her then, leaning back and smiling into the speechless woman's face. "Never forget that."

Not even Chichi noticed anything amiss; it'd all happened so fast. Anyla went back to her meal, all smiles while Bulma struggled to maintain her composure. After a few minutes of stilted conversation, Lettuco made his excuses to the King and left for the night, while Chichi began an animated conversation with Kakkarot about martial arts.

Bulma stood suddenly, turning to address the King. "With your permission sire, I'd like to retire for the night."

Vegeta's eyes narrowed as he looked from the innocuous smile on Anyla's face to Bulma's still flushed face. He had a strange feeling that he'd missed something important here tonight. Maybe several things. He finally nodded. "You may go, but tomorrow morning at 0700 hours, you and your assistant will report to this room."

Nodding absently, Bulma gestured for Chichi to go with her. She smiled and made her farewells to all the other Saiyans in the room, even Anyla (though her smile was much colder and forced by then).

Vegeta's eyes followed her form out and then finally returned to Anyla. "Come wench. I think you've caused enough trouble for one day," he drawled. "Kakkarot; training session tomorrow at 0900 hours."

His guard stood and bowed. "As you wish my King."

End of Chapter Three

SO WHAT DID YOU GUYS THINK? I know it's shorter than my other chapters, but that had to happen sooner or later. I used a quote in here that I used in _Mind Games_, not on purpose, but it works well in both cases. That's all for now!

- BULMA16

PS: Special thanks to Ilse for the idea for this story. I would have sent this chapter to you beforehand but I didn't have time. Sorry. Oh, and I'm going to use that one idea you said in the next chapter (see how I set it up?) B16 (C-C)


	4. Chapter Four

Edited April 8, 2008

_Edited April 8, 2008_

_Okay, there was a scene deleted from this chapter somehow in uploading it. For those who can remember the wake up call, sorry! To those who have no idea what I'm talking about, it's no huge deal. My beta reader and I had this scene with the girls getting icy water dumped on them for missing that 7AM appointment with Vegeta. Shouldn't really have an impact on the storyline, but if so, I'll let you guys know._

Hi everyone! It's been a long time, I know. But it's a REALLY long chapter to make up for that. There's the slightest hint of lime in here to sate some of you that have been asking for it; you know who you are, you pervs, LOL.

Disclaimer: What kind of person goes around reading all these stories to see if anyone claims to own DBZ? And I thought my job sucked. I don't own DBZ...or that's what my shrink keeps on telling me anyway.

Learning to Love: Chapter Four

**The Next Evening**

Bulma capsulated all of her purchases and on a last minute decision, her purse also. "That was 19,500 SMUS well spent in my opinion." Turning to her best friend, she smiled, "Aren't you glad you bought all that stuff Chi?"

Chichi laughed a little nervously. "I've just never spent that much on just clothes in one day before."

"Oh live a little," Bulma scolded, waiting as her assistant capsulated her own purchases.

_Earlier that morning, the King had given them their Identification passes, which had their classifications on them, as their first pay check._

_The money had been burning a hole in Bulma's pockets all morning and she'd dragged a very reluctant Chichi along to explore the Vegetaseii marketplace. Her opinion of the planet had risen exponentially that day. The buildings in the city were a beautiful mix of architectural styles from all over the world. The marketplace reminded her so much of home that she forgot completely that she was, in a sense, 'not in Kansas anymore', that is until one of Vegetaseii's suns reflected down onto Chichi's silver translator bracelet, blinding her for a moment. _

_The two women attracted attention from the Saiyan and other races of beings walking the streets, but no one harassed them. She and Chichi ate lunch in the plaza, sitting down near the beautiful fountain there, and not realizing until they walked away that on the other side of the fountain there was a statue of the current King of Vegetaseii._

"_He looks so serious," Chichi had commented, tilting her head as she looked up into the statue's non-smiling face._

_Bulma had shielded her eyes from the sun with a hand, her own face thoughtful as she'd noticed a small plaque at the foot of the statue. "He's always serious," she'd replied, nearing the statue for a better look. _

_The plaque read: May this statue serve as a monument to the great Vegeta XII. Made with care and the utmost gratitude from the occupants of planet Trotaria._

_This had sprung several questions in her mind. For a moment, she even questioned her own dislike of the man. But before she could dwell on it much longer, Chichi had dragged her away toward a shop selling clothing for the elite._

_Bulma had gone a little crazy there; wanting to try almost everything on, but knowing she would scare her friend off of shopping forever if she did, not to mention annoy the crap out of the vendor. In the end, she wound up buying two outfits that used up her paycheck and them some-fortunately they'd exchanged their earth money earlier that day. _

_They'd stood in the plaza and watched the sun set, not wanting the day to end._

_Her assistant had smiled. "It doesn't have to; let's go find a club or something." _

Which brings us to the present; Bulma stepped into one of the Teleportation Units (which in her opinion looked an awful lot like those phone booths people used long, _long_ ago) and searched the posted directory for a place under the heading 'entertainment'.

The blue-eyed female chuckled as she found a club bold enough to simply call itself 'The Club'. "Let's check out The Club, Chichi," she called over to her friend in the TU next to hers. She pressed the appropriate button, held her breath, and closed her eyes as she felt as though she was flying through the air. A faint, 'ding' indicated that she had reached her destination.

The distant sounds of people cheering, glass breaking, and music shaking the walls were all signs that they were indeed at a club; unfortunately, they couldn't see a thing anywhere outside of the faint light inside of the TU.

"What the hell?" Chichi asked aloud, her voice echoing since she was still standing in her TU.

Bulma stepped out of hers holding her hands out to feel around in the darkness. "Where the hell is-"

"Hey," a short haired Saiyan yelled as he opened a door adjoined to the room, letting in a stream of multicolored light. Bulma looked at him, and faintly heard rustling behind her as Chichi approached. "Let me see your ID cards before you two even think about coming in here."

Bulma smiled, relieved that she had left hers in her pocket. She handed it to him, almost tapping her foot in impatience as he checked her clearance. "She's with me."

"All right, all right, go on in," he grumbled, handing her back the card, and letting them pass.

As they made their way into The Club's semi-dark recesses, Bulma wasn't sure where to look first; there were things of interest all around. There was a brightly lit bar (with a neon sign posted that said "5 drink limit: no exceptions"), a crowded dance floor with a smallish strobe light right out of the 1980's, a section of the room where couples were wrapped up in each other, another area with couches where there were groups of singles chatting and laughing amongst themselves, a small dining eating, and a few games that no one was playing.

"Do you think we should split up?" Chichi yelled over the loud music.

"Yeah," Bulma answered, "But let's stay kind of within each other's sights, just to be safe."

Chichi shot her a thumbs up and then weaved through the dancing couples on the dance floor so that she was near a solitary, handsome young Saiyan. They began to talk earnestly, much to Bulma's amusement. A tap on her shoulder startled her and she spun around, ready for the worst.

"You!" she exclaimed, "What are you doing here?"

"Looking for a good time, just the same as you are I warrant."

Bulma blushed and tried to be as polite as possible. "I'm sorry if that sounded rude Lord Vegeta. I'm just a little surprised to see you here of all places."

The former King chuckled, waving a hand dismissively at her apology. "That's both of us then. Of course, I saw you first so I had a chance to recover before you did."

Bulma smiled sheepishly. "I believe you're laughing at me, sir."

The old Saiyan's tail flicked from side to side lazily. "Never. You are far too beautiful to laugh at. No, what you deserve is to be desired and lavished with attention," he told her, his lips twitching in amusement.

She blushed again. "Now you're embarrassing me."

Lord Vegeta smirked, startling her in that moment with just how similar in appearance he was to his son. "I know." He arched his brows. "Have you seen Anyla while you've been here? Or is she off somewhere upholding her title as The Big Easy?"

The earth woman swatted his arm, her eyes glowing with amusement. "No, I haven't seen her. She's probably tagging along after your son," she answered, frowning at this possibility, but with no real clue as to why.

Lord Vegeta chuckled as he came to his own conclusions. "Surely the boy doesn't bother you _that_ much," he joked.

His companion merely snorted in an unladylike fashion, causing him to laugh out loud. "All right, I admit the boy's a handful…and then some. I've had to put up with him all of his life. I know he isn't as likable as me, but he isn't half bad if you can get on his good side and once you get to know him."

"I'm sure he will be glad to hear you say so," Kakkarot drawled lazily, brushing lightly past Bulma. He smiled at her briefly then turned back to the older Vegeta, "You can tell Vegeta yourself if you want."

"Tell me what?" a cold voice asked.

Bulma cursed inwardly as she instinctively turned to that voice, her heart beating a little faster and tension entering her body. The King's eyes rested her and trailed slowly up her body from her black platforms to the dark purple top and black skirt she wore. When he finally met her eyes, she was glaring at him, her cheeks tinged pink with anger and embarrassment. His expression bored, he turned to his guard. "Well? What were you going to tell me Kakkarot?"

His officer smirked as Lord Vegeta virtually squirmed in discomfort. "Your father was merely suggesting to Bulma that you're not as bad as you act sometimes."

The King blinked, momentarily stunned speechless-much to his guard's and Bulma's amusement. "Father if you were half as useful as you are bothersome-"

Lord Vegeta grinned sheepishly. "I was just trying to make you look better in the girl's eyes. Hells, she practically sees you in the same light as she sees that bitchy fiancé of yours."

Vegeta's eyes rested on Bulma's and he raised his eyebrows as if to ask her if this statement was true. It was her turn to ignore him; she turned to Kakkarot. "So, why are all three of you here? Is this some sort of coincidence or something?"

The guard's eyes briefly went to his King. "I'm not sure if I can say..."

King Vegeta shrugged his shoulders, his face devoid of any emotion, save slight irritation. "You may as well go ahead and tell her."

"We think Anyla's meeting somebody-one of our enemies-here tonight."

"That wouldn't surprise me in the least; she's just that kind of person. I'm curious to one thing though," She paused, a curious look on her face as she turned from Lord Vegeta to King Vegeta. "How do you expect to catch her if she sees _you_ here?"

Lord Vegeta sighed. "That's where I come in, I'm afraid."

"Don't tell me..." Bulma started disbelief in her voice. Kakkarot nodded, confirming her doubts. "You," she pointed to the older Vegeta, "Are going to impersonate your son!?"

Lord Vegeta sighed again, rubbing his facial hair ruefully. "You've hit the nail right on the head, which means I'm going to have to go shave and sit in the damn throne for the rest of the day...or at least until the boy brings his ass back home."

Vegeta's eyes narrowed. "Don't feign being upset father. You were practically jumping at the chance to be King again at the meeting 2 hours ago."

The former King 'coughed', "Yeah, well, I better go shave and everything in a bathroom. I'll be coming out as the King," he chuckled. "And Vegeta will come out as me, facial hair and all. Come on boy, let's get this over with."

Vegeta scowled as he followed his father from the dance floor.

Bulma shook her head after the two of them, a tiny smile on her face. _They're so alike in their mannerisms, no matter how much Vegeta tries to deny he's anything like his father_. For a moment, she thought she was alone but then realized Kakkarot was still there with her, but his attention was focused elsewhere; namely, on the other side of the dance floor where Chichi was dancing with the young Saiyan from earlier.

She tried to distract him. "Kakkarot, aren't you supposed to be guarding the King?"

"What?" the guard asked, blinking his eyes a few times as he turned to look at her. "Oh. Right." He walked off in the direction the two Vegeta's had gone, squeezing past a passionately arguing couple.

_I wonder if he likes Chichi as much as she seems to like him,_ she wondered, walking to the outskirts of the dance floor to avoid witnessing the scene. _Then again, maybe I should worry about myself for once._ Bulma took a deep breath and then walked up to a group of laughing male Saiyans. "Which one of you lucky men wants the chance to dance with me?" she asked a confident smile on her face.

Momentarily stunned, no one in the group immediately volunteered until one of them snapped out of it and stepped forward. "I will.' His friends watched the two of them walk onto the dance floor enviously.

_He's not bad for my first Saiyan, _she thought to herself, shooting him a winning smile as he found them a less crowded place to dance_._

Her partner was about 26, maybe five inches taller than her, cute, but not as handsome as she would of preferred. If she wasn't so nervous, and she was thinking more clearly, she would have asked herself who she was comparing the boy with.

A large platform on the far-end of the room lit up and all other lights went out as a beautiful blue woman in chains began to sing a slow, sad song. With a lopsided smile, her partner awkwardly tried to put his hands on her hips. Bulma stopped him. "Let's just do it my way for now, OK?" She put his left hand on her right shoulder and his right around her waist. She followed suit, only she put her right hand on his chest to keep a little room between them.

A little uneasy, Bulma tried to make conversation. "So...what do you do for a living?"

Her partner smiled brightly. "I'm a trainer. The name's Cabbo and you're Bulma, right?"

"Right," she verified, smiling back. _He probably was around when we first landed here on Vegetaseii, _she thought to herself.

He nodded. "Yeah, I've heard a lot about you."

"Oh really?" Bulma was already starting to get bored with this Cabbo person. He was nice but he wasn't at all what she was looking for. When silence fell between them again, she took a moment to scan the other couples, looking for her best friend in the sea of dancing couples and finally finding her on the opposite side of the dance floor, dancing with Kakkarot!

Her heart skipped a beat. _Wait, if he's out here, then where's- _

"Shove off brat," a gruff voice commanded from behind them.

The trainer bowed respectfully after immediately releasing her. "I'm sorry Lord Vegeta."

He got no reply, nor did he expect one. Cabbo left the two alone.

Bulma turned and frowned up at 'Lord Vegeta'. "Vegeta's the big idea-"

"Shut up," he growled, putting his arms around her waist and pulling her to him.

She blushed at the close contact but complied, putting her arms around her partner's neck as best as she could. They danced without speaking, the only sounds the beautiful voice of the singer and the background noise of the other club goers.

More to satisfy her curiosity then fill the silence between them she posed a question that was bothering her. "Why is Kakkarot out here too?"

"He's supposed to be looking for Anyla."

"Where's your father?" the earth woman asked in a low whisper, her face close to his ear.

Vegeta snorted irritably. "Sitting in my throne, impersonating me, and probably acting like a damn fool."

Bulma moved her head back and smiled genuinely at the King. "Oh come on. He may be a little crusty, but your father isn't going to do anything as absurd as that."

Vegeta ignored the second 1/2 of her statement and smirked. "'Crusty'? That's a good word for him, strange, yet fitting in a way."

Something in his eyes at that moment made Bulma lose her train of thought…she could only stare into them mutely, her breath caught in her throat, her pulse racing.

Vegeta was plagued by a similar sensation as he searched her eyes, but he forced himself to regain control and looked away, scanning the crowd for a familiar face. His grip tightened slightly. "What the hells is Kakkarot doing with your assistant?"

The renowned scientist sighed. "I believe it's called dancing," she supplied, her tone dry.

Vegeta narrowed his eyes as he returned his attention to his dance partner. "You know what I meant," he growled.

"Yes, since I possess a brain, I know _exactly_ what you meant. I was just making a joke. Kami _forbid_ the esteemed Vegeta have a sense of humor," was her sarcastic reply.

The King-who looked so much like Lord Vegeta with the clothes he was wearing and the facial hair that it was eerie-frowned at her, but said nothing as he turned his attention elsewhere.

They danced in silence, the soulful crooning of the alien singer washing over them. Bulma took the opportunity to eye his features now that she was allowed a close-up of the Saiyan no Ou. His ebony hair was thick and lustrous, and for some reason, Bulma wanted to believe that it was soft, not spiky as it appeared, black eyebrows winged over two intense black eyes that mirrored his very soul, an aristocratic nose, and his mouth was pressed into a straight line. _I wonder what it'd be like to kiss him, _she thought absently, moistening her lips without realizing it. She blushed as the mouth turned into a frown and Vegeta glared down at her.

"What the hell are you staring at?" He growled low in his throat.

"You know what Vegeta, you are so..."

_Sexy, desirable, mysterious, unpredictable, authoritarian, aloof, rude, annoying, drop dead gorgeous sex on legs…_

"…over-reactive," she finished lamely, shocked at the words that had leapt in her mind. _Where the hell did that come from!? _

The King's frown turned into a full-fledged scowl. "How do you expect me to react when I find you-the universe's bitchiest, most annoying female-staring at me as though I was a six-course meal, and you were some kind of refugee hasn't eaten for months."

Annoyed at the comparison, the earth female scowled back at him. "I was merely wondering how such an ugly, egotistic bastard such as yourself ever became King."

"That's easy," Vegeta said, as if he hadn't heard her insults. "I became King as soon as I became stronger than my father."

"You're freaking impossible," Bulma seethed. She removed her hands from where they had been draped around his neck, relieved when she heard the singer finish her last note and the sounds of scattered cheering and clapping and smiled as the King seemed unaware of this; his hands still resting on her hips, "You can let me go now Vegeta. I know it's been a while since you've touched a real woman and all, but-"

Vegeta hastily let her go. "Your insanity must be contagious; I didn't notice when-" He stopped abruptly and grabbed Bulma's hand, pulling her deeper into the dimly lit club.

"What is it?" she asked as Vegeta turned her so that she was blocking him from the bar.

"Anyla," he said simply, his voice devoid of emotion.

_Oh this is just peachy; an encounter with her is just what I need to top off a wonderful evening_, she thought, groaning inwardly. She tried not to look at Vegeta-the last thing she wanted was a repeat of what'd happened moments ago; his eyes were too discerning. She sometimes felt as though he was looking right through her; _and I think-no I __know__- that I hate that. _

Bulma looked past him; to his left and to his right...then turned crimson in embarrassment. They were in the make-out area of the club; as far as she could see, there were Saiyans engrossed in heavy to light make-out sessions, so wound up in each other, they didn't notice their former monarch in their midst. Bulma closed her eyes, willing herself to think of anything else.

Vegeta seemed oblivious to her discomfiture. Once his attention eventually returned to his female companion, he frowned at the flushed earth woman in puzzlement. "What is it?"

"Nothing...it's nothing," she muttered between clenched teeth, squeezing her eyes even more tightly shut as a woman moaned loudly from somewhere nearby.

A minute passed, as he finally deduced the cause of her discomfort "Oh, I see what's wrong." He smirked. "What's the matter Bulma? I know you're not a prude. Could it be possible that you are jealous?"

She opened her eyes, at that scowling at his accusation "No, I'm not!" she denied adamantly, shivering a little at his usage of her name.

The Saiyan King gently pulled her closer to him and held her chin in one gloved hand; the other lightly moved the hair from her face. "Are you sure?" he whispered, the lowness of his voice and the intensity of his eyes making her shudder once again in desire. "Because all you have to do is ask..."

"A-ask?" she repeated, confused and mesmerized.

Vegeta's eyes burned with emotion as he released her chin and smirked at her mockingly. "Ask me to kiss you."

"What?" Bulma exclaimed, her voice shaking only slightly as she fought to control her emotions. "I don't want you to-"

"From what you know of me so far, what do you think my opinion is of liars Bulma?" the King purred dangerously, even as he pulled her body against his. "I know exactly what it is you want." With his superior senses he could feel hear her heart rate and see her dilated pupils; if he was on the lookout for signs of a woman's attraction, there was no way she could hide them from him.

Bulma swore beneath her breath, deciding to stop denying her own impulses just this once. "Damn it Vegeta if you gloat about this later I swear to Kami I'll-"

The remainder of her threat was left unspoken as Vegeta lowered his head to kiss her, the contact sending a jolt of electricity down her spine. Surprised at first, Bulma only stood there, unresponsive, but she eventually regained her senses and leaned into the kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck. She felt herself being turned around and pressed against a wall, but this didn't really register until one of Vegeta's hands braced him against the wall behind her for a moment. Bulma moved her hands to his hair and smiled against his lips as she found that it was soft as she had hoped; she closed her eyes and let the feelings wash over her and take her away. She felt the King's tongue against her mouth and she gladly granted him access, moaning as she felt his tongue touch hers. Bulma unconsciously clutched the area of Vegeta's waist where his tail was wrapped tightly around him; she didn't notice his abrupt cease of movement as she did so. She leaned further still into the kiss, her tongue entering the King's mouth and exploring.

Vegeta almost lost control right about then; the urge to throw the female before him to the floor and take her was maddening, but he regained his composure, letting her take control. Vegeta didn't normally find any kind of pleasure in something as simple and as small as a kiss. It had actually been 10 years since his first and last kiss until now. He never kissed Anyla, not once, nor did he ever have the desire to. His 'relationship' with Anyla could be considered mostly one-sided. He did his business and left. Anyla never seemed to mind; she actually seemed to enjoy it. Yet somehow all of that rutting, all of those 'quickies', every single sexual interlude he had previously participated in paled comparison to one kiss from this earth woman.

Bulma lost track of her surroundings. She only knew Vegeta and the pleasure she was getting from kissing him. Kisses never usually turned her on. Actually, the only man she ever kissed, Yamcha, left a lot to be desired. It was a lot like French kissing a fish, as she had complained to Chichi numerous times before his death. They'd never had sex except for once; it had been painful, awkward, and humiliating for the inexperienced Bulma and she never wanted to do it again...until now. She would have eventually repeated the painful experience with Yamcha if they ever got married but they hadn't ever even been really engaged because Yamcha suffered from an unfortunate disease called 'commitmentitis'; just thinking about commitment made him sweat.

But all thoughts of Yamcha were far from her mind as she wrapped her arms around the King's muscular neck, arching her back his hands slid down her back to rest on her backside. It took her a moment to notice that she was running out of oxygen; she groaned as she reluctantly pulled away. Vegeta let her go without protesting, no sign of what he was feeling, beside a brief flicker of disappointment in his eyes.

Bulma's cheeks were tinged pink, not in embarrassment, but in excitement; she panted slightly, watching him contemplatively from beneath her lashes. He didn't seem mad or triumphant or anything. As a matter of fact, from the look in his eyes just then she was pretty damn certain that he was feeling the same combination of gratification, astonishment, and wariness that was reflected on her own face.

_Damage control Bulma; you just made out with a man promised to another woman, _she told herself severely, schooling her features into a look of composure. "Listen Vegeta, I don't think it's-"

"Excuse me Lord Vegeta, but I've got to talk to Bulma," Chichi interrupted, pulling her friend to a secluded area on the other side of The Club, near the exit. Vegeta didn't even try to stop her.

"Bulma," she began, her black eyes narrowed, "Try to imagine my shock...no make that dismay, when I looked up from my ginger ale to see my best friend and the King's father making out as if there was no tomorrow. What the hells were you thinking?!"

Bulma frowned at her friend. "Chichi, who I decide to kiss is not your business. Besides, I couldn't help but notice you and Kakkarot getting chummy on the dance floor."

"That was different," Chichi quickly countered, putting her hands on her hips, "We weren't sucking on each other's face in public. And at least Kakkarot isn't old enough to be my father!"

The blue haired woman took a deep breath, and tried not to lose her temper; slowly releasing the pent up air from between pursed lips. "Chichi, mind your own damn business. I'm only going to say it once. If I want your opinion on something, I'll ask you for it. Until then stay the hell out of my affairs."

The raven-haired female flinched visibly and then flushed with anger. "Fine by me!" She stalked past Bulma and made an angry beeline towards the exit, brushing angrily past the bouncer.

"Good," Bulma said aloud to herself, feeling childish and slightly guilty for her part in the fight. She turned to walk back toward where she'd left Vegeta on the dance floor, only to run into something hard and warm. She felt herself start to fall backwards, until two hands managed to catch her.

"Sorry about that love," a voice drawled with an accent that sounded like it could be Australian. A tall, blue-green man with a green braid resting on his shoulder smiled at her as he removed his hands from her sides and bowed, his cape sweeping behind him. "I don't believe I've had the pleasure of meeting you before. I'm Zarbon."

"Oh," Bulma said, a little taken aback by the man's brazen. "I'm-".

"She's mine."

Zarbon raised his eyes from Bulma's and turned to the figure behind him. "Ah Lord Vegeta," He laughed mockingly, "I see you remember me from our last encounter." A low growl was the only response he got. Zarbon chuckled. "I can see that you're well. How is your son, by the way?"

Bulma watched Vegeta from beneath lowered lashes, her fingers clenched together as she grew afraid that this man would find out that the Vegeta he was talking to was the one he was talking about.

Vegeta shrugged dismissively, "The boy is as much a pain in my ass as always."

The taller man nodded. "No surprise there, some things will never change no matter how many years go by. So...how his training is coming along now that he's surpassed you?"

'Lord Vegeta' frowned, but that quickly changed into his father's characteristic look of sheepishness. "I haven't been really diligent in keeping track of him; been busy reaping the benefits of the royal harem. But my scouts tell me he isn't that much stronger than me. He's hit some kind of plateau with his power level."

Bulma shuddered. It was uncanny how convincing Vegeta was.

"A plateau," Zarbon mused, his expression thoughtful. "Well, I've got a ship to catch back to Freeze. See you around old man," he said, clapping the Saiyan on the shoulder. "No hard feelings over the concubine?" he asked, jerking his head in Bulma's direction.

The earth woman's eyes lit up in anger and she would have said something if Vegeta hadn't cut her off. "Just don't touch what's mine and you'll live to see the light of another day."

"Sure thing," Zarbon chuckled, throwing up a mock salute as he left, his cape swirling behind him.

Bulma scowled darkly at Vegeta, crossing her arms over her chest. "Since when do I belong to you?"

He shrugged, seemingly indifferent. "You're my employee, you work for me, and therefore, in a sense I own you."

"I'm not going to argue with your Saiyan logic. I may work for you but I'm no one's concubine! Who does that asshole think he is?!"

"Freeza's right hand man," Vegeta answered matter-of-factly, his expression suddenly dour.

"Oh," Bulma said, not knowing who in the 10 hells Freeza was, but guessing from the expression on her employer's face that he wasn't someone to tangle with. "You know, you do a very convincing impression of your father, Vegeta," she teased in an attempt to change the subject.

"When you've been around the old fool for as long as I have, he starts to rub off on you," he grumbled.

Yawning, Bulma looked at her watch; it read 3:52. "I better go back to my room so that I can get the kids' homework graded, get the lesson plans finished up and hopefully get some sleep. Good night Vegeta," she said, giving him a fleeting smile before brushing past him.

Vegeta caught her wrist. "Aren't you forgetting something?"

Bulma looked into his eyes and what she saw there made her heart skip a beat. "I-I don't think so," she stuttered.

He smiled at her for a brief moment, sending a shiver down her spine. "You forgot this." He kissed her gently this time and she melted against him. Loving his smell, the feeling of his hands on her shoulders, and the burning sensation his kiss sent throughout her body. After a moment, he gently pushed her away, his face thoughtful. "Now you can go," he told her, but he was the first to leave.

Bulma watched him walk away from her, baffled by his behavior. _I don't understand any of this; why I let him kiss me, why I wanted him to, why I feel this way…there's no making sense of any of it! As great as that first kiss was, the second…_she blinked, a lump rising in her throat. It had been infinitely tender, almost fearful, which confused her even more. _This is Vegeta we're talking about here Bulma. This has got to be some kind of mind game he's playing. He's going to be twice as horrible to me from now on to make up for all this,_ she told herself as she absently made her way through the less crowded club and toward the exit.

As she stepped outside into the now well lit TU room, she spotted a figure sitting with its back up against the wall, knees pulled up to their chest, head resting on their knees, snoring lightly. On closer inspection, she realized it was Chichi.

Bulma felt a pang of fondness for her friend as she bent her knees and gently shook her friend's shoulder. "Chi. Wake up."

Chichi slowly opened her eyes, but once she did, she was fully awake. She got up with Bulma's help, her expression a little apprehensive. "Bulma, I-I was waiting for you. I didn't want anything bad-"

Bulma put an arm around her friend's shoulders, hugging her as she helped her walk to the TU. "I know. Thank you, Chichi. Let's go home."

End of Chapter Four

YAY! I finally finished this chapter. It took me FOREVER! I don't really like the end, but it's sort of light and heart-warming to balance out any angst in the previous chapters (I don't want to depress anyone, LOL). Anyway, I haven't started chapter 5, so don't ask me when it'll be out. I have a slight idea as to how I'm going to do five, but not really. Suggestions will be appreciated.


	5. Chapter Five

Edited April 8, 2008

_Edited April 8, 2008_

Hi everyone! Hopefully, this will one of the shortest chapter in the history of this fic (knocks on wood) but it's still not a bad length. I think I know what I want to do next, so maybe if we all wish on a star, the amount of time between this update and the next will be significantly shorter.

_Reminder_: just remember that this fic is rated **R** as in **R**emove yourself if you can't handle the content. The **R** is also for cu**R**sing, **R**omance (lemon, lemonade, maybe even limeade with a twist of kiwi), and the B16 **R**egular Bitch Special (played by Anyla in this fic). The warning is because there is some 'adult humor' in this chapter; so kiddies, go ride your tricycles, those of us that can handle it, stop reading my babbling and go on to the fic!

Learning to Love: Chapter Five

**The Next Day**

"Black or blue?"

Chichi looked up from where she and Bulma had been grading papers. "What?"

"Which one of these dresses did you like better; the black or the blue one?" her friend asked slowly.

"Oh, I don't know! Why don't you ask Lord Vegeta?" she suggested, a sly smile on her face as she tried to gauge her friends reaction.

Bulma rolled her eyes at Chichi's teasing. "If only you knew Chichi." As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she slapped her palm over her mouth and groaned inwardly. _Me and my big mouth._

Chichi grinned and leaned forward in eager anticipation. "If only I knew what Bulma? What are you not telling me?"

Laughing nervously, Bulma got out of her chair and went to the fridge for something to drink. "I tell you everything, Chi. Don't be silly."

"Oh really," the raven haired teaching assistant drawled, standing up and crossing her arms over her chest. "Then tell me why you were kissing Vegetaseii's most notorious rake and obviously enjoying it."

Her friend laughed nervously. "Well, you see--"

Loud knocking interrupted her, and kept her from finishing her statement. "Just a sec!" Bulma shouted running to answer the door. _Saved by the knock. Kami, that was close_, she thought, opening the door to let the person in. "Oh, hi Kakkarot. Is there something I can help you with?"

He grinned. "Yeah. The King wants to talk to you right now."

"Now?" Bulma repeated, frowning down at her clothes. "I'm not even properly dressed."

Kakkarot shrugged as he glanced at her clothes, yawning slightly. "You seem dressed all right to me."

"You are such a sweetheart," Bulma said dryly, rolling her eyes. "Chichi," she yelled, turning on her foot. "I've got to talk to the King. I'll be back soon, okay?"

There was silence until Chichi finally answered. "Okay, but once you get back we're going to talk some more about--"

"Bye Chichi!" Bulma said more loudly than necessary, not noticing Kakkarot's wince. She closed the door behind her and followed the tall Saiyan to the King's throne room.

Kakkarot politely held the doors for her. After she passed him, he quietly closed the double doors behind them and trailed behind her.

Bulma slowed her walking as her eyes slowly grew accustomed to the lighting of the throne room The King's guard gently pushed her in the right direction and she soon found herself standing before the impatient King Vegeta. She smiled at him sardonically. "I'd curtsey, but I'm kind of slumming it today."

Vegeta arched his brows as he fully took in her definition of 'slumming' his expression one of mild curiosity. Bulma wore grey sweatpants, a form fitting black T-shirt with the words 'Perfection' written on it in silver script, old sneakers, and had a messy ponytail at the nape of her neck. In all of his life, Vegetaseii's ruler seldom saw someone dressed so…casually, yet this female's haphazard appearance was having a dangerous and powerful effect on him.

Scowling in annoyance, the King met her blue eyes with his black orbs. "While I was distracted last night, Kakkarot found out that Anyla was meeting with Zarbon," his gruff voice ground out.

Bulma felt her hackles rise at being referred to as a mere 'distraction'. "You already knew that," she quickly retorted.

Vegeta quickly shot the amused Kakkarot a warning glance. "Tell her what you heard," he ordered his guard.

Kakkarot immediately grew serious. "Yes sire." He took a deep breath. "I didn't get to hear much, because I was, uh, equally distracted for much of the time."

_**Flashback **_

_"Kakkarot, you're stepping on my feet again." _

_"Oh. Sorry about that." _

_Chichi grimaced in pain as she limped over to a chair and sat down. "It's ok. Right now, I'd really like something to drink," she hinted. _

_Kakkarot sat down, propping his legs up on an empty chair between them, nodding in agreement, secretly relieved that she didn't want to dance anymore. "Yeah, me too." _

_Too exhausted to beat around the bush anymore, the earth female nudged him. "That's your cue Hero. Get up and get me a drink." _

_The King's guard stood up reluctantly and trudged to the bar. "Let me have a Swirled Sheryl and a Gracie May." _

_The bartender grinned as he served up the drinks. "You want a hit of alcohol with those buck-o?" _

_Kakkarot shook his head sheepishly. "I kind of have to keep my wits about me for tonight." With the green SS in one hand and the GM in the other, he carefully weaved his way through the dancing, laughing Saiyans, grinning in triumph as he reached his destination. By the time he got there, Chichi was looking somewhere across the room, a frown on her face. He cleared his throat and grinned as he caught her attention. "Not a drop spilled," he said proudly. A seven and a half foot Saiyan male accidentally bumped into him, spilling both of the drinks onto the floor. _

_Chichi stared down at the spilled drinks for a moment and smiled into Kakkarot's stunned face. "I guess you spoke too soon!" _

_"I guess so," he sighed. "I better go get you another Gracie May then." _

_She arched her brows in question. "What the hell is a Gracie May?" _

_Kakkarot sighed as he eyed the puddle of fluid at his feet. "A Gracie May is the earth equivalent of a Vodka-Whiskey-Everclear mix. It's one of the weaker drinks on the planet." _

_Chichi's jaw dropped. But she quickly composed herself. "Well, for the record, I don't drink. And I have the feeling that Gracie May would have killed me or any other human that tried it. Does your bar have something nonalcoholic, like water or better yet, ginger ale?" _

_"Yeah!" Kakkarot exclaimed in excitement. "I'll go get you one!" He dashed off toward the bartender. _

_"Back again? Drinks too weak for you?" the good-natured slave chuckled, wiping the counter. _

_"Nah," the King's guard denied. "Too strong. Can I get a ginger ale?" _

_The barman ceased his wiping movements and raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Yeah. Hold on there a moment." He reached beneath the counter and pulled out a dusty old bottle of ginger ale. He eyed the guard quizzically as he poured the drink into a tall glass and added ice. "Here you go, buddy." _

_The Saiyan nodded his thanks as he took the glass and trudged back to where Chichi was patiently waiting. Kakkarot grinned and sat down in the seat next to her. "Here's your drink Miss." _

_Smiling radiantly, the female took the beverage from him, her fingers brushing his. She took a quick sip of her drink to hide her slight bush. "You can call me Chichi, Kakkarot." _

_"I'm sorry...Chichi," he said slowly, looking into her dark eyes. _

_Chichi felt herself flushing once again in embarrassment so she took another drink from her glass. She looked up into the Guard's eyes again and vaguely realized that they were leaning toward each other. A tiny, scared part of her mind, told her to throw her drink in his face and run. It told her that men were all worthless pigs looking for a female stupid enough to give it up, and once that got boring, they'd move onto to the next one. _But I'm not going to have sex with him. It's just a harmless kiss. Besides, Kakkarot isn't like that_, she told herself. _

_She closed the distance between them and kissed him, savoring the contact with this man. The Guard didn't appear put off like other men were whenever she tried to take charge. He responded to her kiss, a little shyly at first, but soon he was taking charge, much to Chichi's delight. She could sense Kakkarot's desire to continue this, to go farther. As much as she liked him, she knew she wasn't ready yet. She abruptly broke the kiss and stood up from her chair. "I've got to go," she said. _

_Kakkarot stood also, taking a step back to put some space between them. "Yeah, me too." _

_"Bye," Chichi said softly, leaving. _

Damn it_, Kakkarot thought, watching her leave. _What did I do? he asked himself, running his hands through his hair._ He forced himself to sit down at the bar and sighed loudly in exasperation. _Women_. _

_The bartender was wiping glasses, making sure they were spotless. He looked up and raised his eyebrows to see Kakkarot. "You again?" _

_"Yeah," Kakkarot said dismally. "Can I have a ginger ale please?" _

_The bartender nodded. "Sure thing." He quickly filled the order, placing the drink before the somber Saiyan. _

_Kakkarot quickly downed his drink and indicated for the bartender to make a re-fill._

_"Hold on Guard. Let me see if those good for nothings in the back have another bottle." The bartender put down his towel and went through the doors to the back. _

_Kakkarot sighed sorrowfully and leaned his elbow on the counter and placing his chin in his hand, reflecting on all that had happened in the past ten minutes. _Did I scare her or something? Or maybe I'm a bad kisser?_ His Chichi-centric thoughts ceased as his ears picked out the all too familiar sound of a certain female's voice. _Anyla? Oh, shit. I forgot all about her._ He spotted her about four stools down from him; she wasn't alone. One of Freeza's lackeys was at her side, looking very bored. _

_The King's guard quickly lay his head down on the counter as if he had passed out so that Anyla would be unable to see his face. The people beside him ignored him completely, lost in their own little worlds, and caught up in their own thoughts and problems. Because of taciturnity, it was easy for Kakkarot to hear her words clearly and they cut straight through him like a hot knife through butter. _

_"The Saiyan Empire deserves to perish. No more abhorrent, invidious race has ever existed and I no longer want anything to do with them." _

_A cultured voice laughed. "So, Vegeta finally dropped you did he?"_

_There was a sound like someone slamming a fist on the countertop. "No, nor will I give him the chance to! I'm not exactly sure where he is right now. I hear he's in his chambers but I have the feeling he's with that earth woman," she snarled._

_"Look babe, why do you hate the Saiyans so much? I mean, you ARE one of them." His voice was full of derision and it was obvious that Freeza's henchman was not a huge fan of the female Saiyan. _

_"It's not the Saiyans-" _

_"So it's Vegeta?" he interrupted. _

_"No," Anyla denied. "It's just that I see no advantage or reason to stay on Vegetaseii any longer. The people are weak, the technology is weak, the King is weak-" _

_"Wait a sec babe; we don't know for sure whether or not that's actually true." _

_"Let me assure you it is," Anyla sneered. "I've been monitoring his power level even more closely than his own father; you are much stronger." _

_"If you say so," the accented voice said skeptically. "So what exactly did you want me to tell Master Freeza?" _

_"I want to join your side. Freeza is much stronger than Vegeta and I think he will respect that I will be an invaluable addition to his army." _

_"What do you want out of all this?" _

_"Power," she responded matter-of-factly. _

_"Right, well it's time for my ship to go love. You know how to contact me right?" _

_"Yes, I just--" _

_Kakkarot jumped as a glass was slammed on the counter in front of his face. He looked up to see the irked barkeeper furiously wiping glasses again. He picked up the drink and took large gulps, using the back of his hand to wipe his mouth when he was through. He nodded his thanks to the bartender. The frustrated man nodded in acceptance and continued his wiping, mumbling about the 'inept inbred idiots' that work for him. _

_Kakkarot scanned the room for Vegeta but could find no sign of him. _I wonder where he's gone and why he left before finding out about Anyla_. He turned around on his seat and got off the stool. Shooting a glance down the counter where Anyla and her 'guest' had been sitting. No trace of them. He sighed and walked out the door, going back his room in the castle. _

_**End of flashback**_

Kakkarot finished re-telling what had happened, leaving out the parts with Chichi involved.

Bulma twirled a strand of hair around her finger pensively. "So, is Anyla right?"

Vegeta frowned at her. "Right about what?"

"Is that Zarbon guy stronger than you?"

The King shot a glance at his guard and both snickered. "In his dreams maybe," he managed to get out. "I could kill that fool effortlessly."

Kakkarot nodded, a smirk on his face. "Yeah, what Anyla doesn't know is that Vegeta is a Super--"

"That's enough Kakkarot, you needn't say any more," the King interrupted, any trace of amusement gone from his face.

"My apologies," the guard said automatically.

Bulma frowned as she looked from Kakkarot and then to Vegeta. "You don't trust me, do you?"

"I trust no one. You are certainly not an exception from that."

"Kakkarot obviously is," Bulma said smugly, crossing her arms over her chest. "And you've entrusted me with information I'm sure you have no intention of telling most of your subjects; so why not this?'

The King's eyes glittered in annoyance. "That may be true, and I have my reasons for doing so, but this particular information is not your business. It is solely my concern and whoever I wish to include."

"Not my business?" the renowned scientist repeated her voice dangerously calm. "The well-being of the planet I am working on-that I left my life on earth for-is very much my business! It's everyone's, not just yours."

"For fuck's sakes, you couldn't possibly understand. The state of the planet is my burden and my business," the King snapped back, scowling at the straightforward female.

Bulma smiled prettily at him. "Make this your business asshole." She gave him the universal signal for 'fuck you', turned on her heel and left, the doors slamming shut behind her.

Kakkarot watched her go in complete surprise. _Did that really just happen? That's the first time a female, or anyone for that matter, has ever talked to Vegeta like that. I hope he doesn't take it all out on me_. He turned his gaze to the King who was staring at the doors the earth female had just walked through with a wry smile on his face.

Vegeta turned to meet his guard's stare, a frown on his face. "Don't you have something to be doing Kakkarot?"

The guard's lips twitched as he struggled not to laugh. "No sire."

"Well go make yourself useful before I think of something you won't like," he growled.

"Yes sire," was the amused reply.

"Damn earth women," the King muttered after his guard was out of earshot.

**The Teachers' Quarters**

"You didn't! Oh Bulma, please tell me you're kidding!"

Bulma sniffed angrily. "I'm as serious right now as a heart attack! The bastard was asking for it! He deserved a lot more than what I just gave him, that's for sure."

"I can just see what's going to happen next. He's going to do something awful to both of us."

"He wouldn't dare."

"Yes he would," Chichi groaned, putting her forehead on the table.

"Never fear Chi, I'll be ready for him."

"Oh, I feel so much better now," she said sarcastically, looking up at her friend.

"I knew you would," Bulma joked, a smile on her face.

"So," the raven human said, going back to grading papers. "What's the plan genius?"

"It's a secret."

"Uh huh," Chichi said cynically. "So you don't have one yet."

Bulma sighed. "You know me too well."

"I'm sure you'll think of something."

"I hope so. So, how are you and _**Kakkarot**_?" Bulma teased, changing the subject.

Chichi blushed as she remembered the previous night and the kiss. "There is no me and Kakkarot," she stated, peevishly. "The question I'm dying to know the answer to is how you and Lord Vegeta are?"

"Didn't we already talk about this?" Bulma sighed, leaning back in her chair.

"No," Chichi denied, a smile on her face. "Now spill."

She rolled her eyes. "There's nothing _to_ spill for crying out loud. And there is no me and Lord Vegeta."

Chichi's face brightened as she suddenly realized something. "Lord Vegeta shaved yesterday."

Bulma leaned back even further in her chair as she looked at the ceiling. "So?"

"So you weren't kissing him. He has at least 1 and a half days worth of stubble on him."

The science teacher blinked twice rapidly before she could help it. _Since when is Chi so damn attentive_?! "Are you trying to get at something?"

"You were kissing the KING! Oh my Kami! I guess that explains why you're so pissed off about his attitude earlier." Chichi was beaming at her discernment.

Bulma flushed in embarrassment and slammed the front two legs of her chair to the floor. She closed her eyes and held her head in her palms.

Chi grinned. "You just gave it away Bulma. That and I just happened to see the shaved Lord Vegeta just before Kakkarot and I were together."

"Oh gods, I plead temporary insanity," Bulma moaned.

"Well, I guess he's sexy in a 'bad-ass' sort of way. He doesn't really look like your type..." she trailed off as she recalled all the stunts, pranks, escapades, schemes, adventures, capers and mischief Bulma had managed to convince her to join in over the 15 years they'd known each other. "Never mind, you two are perfect for one another."

"Thanks a lot Chi. You're not exactly making me feel any better," her friend lamented.

The black haired woman shrugged, unperturbed . "You're the one who kissed him, not me. And from what I saw, it was mutual kissing going on."

"Don't remind me. It was a stupid one time mistake that I will _**never**_ let happen again."

Her friend patted her comfortingly on the back. "He's probably feeling the same way. Just try to forget about it."

**The Dining Hall**

**Later that same night**

"…I was sitting there like I was supposed to, bored out of my mind, and then I realized something; everyone thought I was the King. I could have done anything under the suns and the blame would all go to the brat! I thought about bringing the harem into the throne room and finally christening the place if you know what I mean but I decided against that. I thought about calling Freeza and telling him, in tears, that I only wish I could be as good as him, I thought about sending all of Vegeta's funds into my account, but I decided against those ideas also. I finally decided to just sit there with the biggest smile imaginable on 'Vegeta's' face," Lord Vegeta guffawed.

The Lieutenant, the Royal Guard, and the Activity Coordinator all rolled their eyes.

Egplnta laughed aloud as she imagined what the servants must have thought. Bulma was trying to ignore the pointed glances she was getting from Chichi and Vegeta was poring over documents laid out before him, seemingly tuning them all out.

Anyla frowned. "Why were you in Vegeta's--?"

"Bulma," Bardock interrupted, shooting his former monarch a look of exasperation. "Uh, so how are your lessons in Saiyago going?"

The teacher grinned at the man's attempt to quickly change the subject but shook her head. "Not so well I'm afraid. I'm still relying on your translator bracelet."

"Don't be modest Bulma; she knows way more of it than I do," her best friend chimed in.

"Is that supposed to mean something?" Anyla muttered under her breath, heard only by Bulma and Egplnta.

King Vegeta looked up finally from the papers he'd been poring over the entire night. "Would you be willing to put that to the test? Give us some assurance of your so-called genius?"

Bulma's nostrils flared at the challenge, and for a moment as she met his gaze, she smirked in such a Saiyan like fashion that Vegeta was taken aback. "Of course, sire, though I'm sure I'll do terribly." She took off her silver bracelet translator and pushed it to the middle of the table.

The other occupants of the room watched in amusement as the science teacher eyed her challenger coldly, waiting. Lord Vegeta elbowed the Lieutenant in the ribs. "If looks could kill, huh? Fifty units says she can't do it."

"Fifty says she can," Bardock whispered back. The two men shook hands and waited.

Vegeta leaned back in his chair, taking his sweet time. He looked across the table at the impatient woman, a smirk on his face as he posed his question in Saiyago. "Tell me Bulma, how many people are present in this room?"

Chichi cringed, having taken off hers as well; the only words she could make from that were 'me', 'room', and 'Bulma' of course. She slid the silver bracelet back on her wrist so that she could keep up with the rest of the King's challenge.

Bulma's eyes never wavered as she replied perfectly in Saiyago. "Exactly nine, sire. Four females, five males, seven Saiyans and two humans."

Lord Vegeta chuckled good-naturedly as he made an IOU out of his napkin for the grinning Lieutenant. "I think she's proved you wrong, boy," he informed his son.

"Not yet she hasn't," Vegeta growled.

Anyla frowned at Lord Vegeta, her gaze full of contempt. "She hasn't proven anything, except that she can count up to seven.".

"Speaking of counting," Lord Vegeta began, pointedly ignoring Anyla. "Bulma, you're a smart girl, maybe you can figure this one out. If Anyla weighs 130 and charges 300 units a fuck--"

Anyla gasped. "You sick son of a bitch!"

"-how much does she cost a pound?" he finished, a smirk on his face.

A few people began to cough into their napkins, hiding their laughter from the King.

Bulma smiled mischievously. "The cost is 2.30769, or 2.31 a pound." She shifted her gaze so that it rested on the King, whose lips had twitched at her response. "But I'm sure Vegeta already knew that."

Anyla's face was turning red in anger. "Why you--"

"Bitch," Lord Vegeta supplied, grinning at the earth female. "I must say, that makes you all the more attractive in my eyes!"

"You're too kind my lord," Bulma said absently, laughing derisively at the now deadpan Vegeta. "Tell me Vegeta, do you get frequent flyer miles for riding on Anyla Airlines? I would think with all the traffic in and out of her, she'd reward those that actually bothered to come back."

"That is it!" Anyla screamed finally, pushing her chair back. "Why don't you stop attacking my character and attack me instead you cowardly bitch?!"

Bulma's eyes gleamed with malice as she rose from her seat as well. "Coward? Do you want to see how 'cowardly' I am?"

"Whoa, this is getting way out of hand," Kakkarot protested, pushing Anyla back down in her seat.

"Kakkarot's right," Chichi reluctantly agreed, urging her friend back in her seat.

"Damn," Lord Vegeta murmured. "And I was getting ready for a death match."

The younger Vegeta was watching Anyla carefully. The enraged female Saiyan was glaring at the now calm earth female, animosity in her eyes. Egplnta nudged Bulma in the ribs and jerked her thumb in Anyla's direction. The teacher met Anyla's gaze and winked devilishly before turning back to her friend.

Lord Vegeta coughed in the silence that followed. "So…where's the food?"

The King looked at his father in surprise. "What?" he asked, his brow furrowed as if he'd been very seriously considering something.

"The food boy; are we going to eat the table?"

"They've been waiting over there," Vegeta said, absently pointing toward the door.

Lord Vegeta beckoned for the slaves to come forth. "Move with some alacrity, will you? I'm starved."

Kakkarot's belly rumbled as the aroma of the food met his nostrils. "Me too."

Bardock, Lettuco, and Egplnta eyed the trays hungrily, not wasting time speaking as they were all served.

Bulma and Chichi spoke quietly amongst themselves, unnoticed by the Saiyans.

"Why did you stop me Chi?"

"Bulma, you're pretty fast and you handle a weapon well, but when it comes to hand-to-hand combat…well, you suck."

"I still could have torn that bitch a new one," the blue haired woman protested, insulted.

"I doubt it," Chichi replied, eyeing the psychotic Saiyan from the corner of her eye. "She's been training all of her life. Neither of us is anywhere close to her level."

"Maybe not in terms of physical strength. Well, I'll just have to come up with something to level the playing field, won't I?" Bulma said absently, her mind already constructing plans.

"Just as long as I'm not involved, it's fine by me," Chichi answered, placing food on her plate.

**Planet Freeze**

**Days later…**

A scream rang out, loud and long, and was abruptly ended. _Welcome to Freeza's Playhouse_ some jokester had written with his dying blood on the walls. Freeza had found the statement so amusing that he said the phrase to every man-or woman-admitted to one of his jails.

The basement jail was no place for the likes of Zarbon, and he normally wouldn't be here, but he had a suspicion that Dodoria was hiding in here again. He walked the length of the jail, looking into each cell. There were only about 20 or so, each the same size. Some were vacant, most were not. He'd learned long ago to ignore the occupants of these cells, or run the risk of angering Freeza. He went to the cell on the end and found him; pouting like a 500 pound baby. "What did you do this time?" he asked, his tone leaving no room for pity.

Dodoria looked up at the blue green man in surprise; his face twisted into a sneer and then back into his regular straight line. "It wasn't me this time. He's angry about some planet that is refusing to sign over there gold and oil supply. They are threatening to blow their planet up themselves before letting us touch it."

Zarbon's eyebrows raised in mild surprise. "They can't be serious."

"They are and Master Freeza isn't liking it one bit." He looked up at the higher officer, a hopeful look on his face. "He likes you Zarbon, why don't you go up there and talk to him? Maybe you could calm him a little."

"Just how mad is he?"

"Well," the pink alien pondered. "He blew up our second to last moon."

Zarbon's face was lit temporarily with fear. Not a good sign at all. "You must be out of your damned mind."

"It was worth a shot."

End of Chapter Five

YAY! It's the end! It is actually about 3 pages longer than I thought it would be. So what'd you think? I know the dinner scene was a little over the top but you know how it is. Any questions? Ask away! This is Bulma16, saying peace out and all that hippie stuff.

B16/Claire-chan


	6. Chapter Six

February 21, 2008 Author's Note: No huge changes to this; I just realized this chapter got screwed up somehow while uploading

_Edited April 9, 2008_

Learning to Love: Chapter Six

**DINING ROOM**

Dinner the next night

"…it was my turn to spell and I remember turning my nose up and laughing at this blue haired girly girl behind me; I was so confident that I'd get it right! I broke the word up and spelled it exactly how it sounds: 'som-nam-bulla-torey' which is wrong of course. Imagine my surprise and disgust when that girl I'd written off as being an airhead effortlessly spelled it right, and then went on to take the world championship," Chichi paused a moment as she glanced at her friend across the table, ending her story with a warm smile on her face. "Strange to think we're friends now, after that initial meeting and dislike…on my end at least."

"Strange to think _anybody_ would be your friend," Anyla muttered under her breath, her hatred for Bulma apparently only second to her unfathomable loathing for the dark haired Chichi. Fortunately, her remark was only heard by two people.

Bulma stiffened, preparing to snap back angrily until she met the eyes of Lord Vegeta who shook his head slowly. "Steady lass; you'll get your chance if you're only patient," he promised her in a low tone, shooting his son a pointed look.

King Vegeta quizzically raised his brows in question, having missed the exchange due to his participation in a discussion of strategy with Kakkarot. The older man rolled his eyes. _Typical. _

Lord Vegeta cleared his throat loudly, gaining the attention of all present. "As most of you know, tomorrow is the anniversary of my birthing day," he paused a moment for dramatic effect, a half smile on his face. "A celebration will be held at 1900 hours because gods know, this could be my last one," he chuckled. "There will of course be dancing, so we want everyone partnered up. Gods know, we wouldn't want there to a shortage of ladies."

The blue haired teacher joined in the laughter at the former King's announcement, her mind on the implications of his announcement. _An escort…who could I possibly go with? I have the feeling Chichi can count on that goofy guard, which leaves me…alone and pathetic,_ she thought, her eyes flickering to her friend for a moment.

Anyla smiled as she downed the rest of her wine. _Well obviously, as Vegeta's betrothed, __**I **__will be going with him as my escort. Which means that blue haired slut will have to find someone else…with any luck a rapist._

The Vegetaseii no Ou silently and surreptitiously studied both females, his expression completely devoid of emotion as he continued lecturing Kakkarot on the importance of a good defense. _As nauseatingly unsettling as it is, I suppose it is better I keep up pretenses for a while longer and take Anyla. If things were different…_he didn't let himself finish that thought.

Seemingly out of nowhere, Lord Vegeta roughly elbowed Bardock in the ribs, causing the Lieutenant to cough violently as he choked on a large piece of meat, and prompting the older man to whack him several times in the back in an attempt to save him from choking. Once the food was dislodged he glanced in the direction the former King was indicating with several not quite so discreet jerks of the head, where his son Kakkarot was raidly turning red as his eyes rested on the raven haired earth woman.

Chichi didn't even seem to notice his gaze; she was gazing intently down at a book that was in her lap, only looking up when Bulma cleared her throat.

Kakarrot felt himself begin to sweat as he met her surprised black eyes; he could feel nearly every pair of eyes in the room on him as he blurted the question that he'd been terrified he'd never be able to get out. "I was wondering…could I escort you to Lord Vegeta's celebration?"

Her heart leapt into her throat and she responded immediately without thought, "Of course." She blushed and then ducked behind her book on seeing his relieved smile, her heart beating so loudly she had the feeling the Saiyans present with their superior hearing could hear it.

The red haired Saiyan eyed the two with barely concealed disgust but said nothing as she downed yet another glass of Chardonnay.

For that, Bulma was grateful. Her mind was mentally racing down a list of all the eligible men she'd met since she'd arrived on this planet; she didn't have the concentration to make a proper comeback just then. _The more I think about this partner thing, the more I'm starting to freak out. The men here…I just don't see myself with any of them._

King Vegeta smirked as he realized her dilemma. "What's the matter? Having a little trouble thinking of anyone that'd be willing to tolerate escorting you for a night?" he drawled mockingly, his arms crossed over his chest.

She felt her hackles raise at his question, which she knew was designed to point out her insecurity to herself and everyone there. "Actually," she began, her eyes flashing with anger as she drew herself up to meet his gaze. "I was thinking--"

He cut her off. "I'll save you the humiliation of being turned down by whatever loser you had in mind. You'll go with me."

It was not a request. It was an order. And by the look of smug contentment on Vegeta's face as Anyla sputtered in disbelief, a look of murderous rage on her pretty face, the King was killing two birds with one stone. His ordering her was meant to humiliate and insult the Saiyan thorn in her side and herself. _I'll take the bait you son of a bitch, but don't take me lightly, _Bulma thought.

"As you wish sire," she responded demurely, bowing her head in compliance. Bulma choked back her laughter after seeing a look of suspicion flit across Vegeta's face. _Poor bastard doesn't know what he signed himself up for._

The sound of a wine glass breaking broke the brief moment of tension between them and everyone turned to see Anyla with a hand full of broken glass-apparently from squeezing the glass too hard-standing a bit unsteadily as she glared across the table to her fiancée.

"Vegeta, can we talk?" she ground out from clenched teeth, her voice low and full of aggravation.

"Maybe later," he replied offhandedly, not even sparing her a glance.

Bulma decided to leave then before things became a screaming match, and stood up from the table, curtseying prettily in her black skirt. "Please excuse me, Your Highness, your lordship, gentlemen, ladies…Anyla." She turned on her heel and left, allowing herself a triumphant smile as the doors closed on the red haired Saiyan's squawk of outrage, and Lord Vegeta's boisterous laughter.

**TEACHERS' QUARTERS**

The Next Day

"Gods, this is unbelievable," Chichi gushed as she rummaged through her closet. "Who would have guessed that Vegeta of all people would ask-well technically _tell_-you to go anywhere with him. I mean, after all you've done, you'd think he'd find someone…well, not quite so provoking."

"I resent that," Bulma complained, lying on her friend's bed, chin in hand. "I know all too well what Vegeta hopes to accomplish with this and I'm not going to let him make a monkey out of me. Let's not talk about him any more. What are you wearing tonight?" she asked, wincing at the sound of a wire hanger scraping across the metal bar of the closet.

Chichi shrugged her shoulders as she pulled a few items from the closet. "Oh just whatever; Kakkarot wouldn't notice what I was wearing…unless it was edible." She blushed as the image took shape in her mind.

Her best friend pretended not to notice. "Typical man."

"How about you Bulma? You are making an appearance with royalty after all."

"It's a surprise," was the rapid, evasive reply.

"Which means you--"

"—don't know yet," Bulma finished, amused by how well Chichi knew her. "It's going to have to be something refined but culturally acceptable," she paused a moment, a wicked smile on her face as she sat up, her eyes alight with mischief . "And I wouldn't mind terribly if it managed to knock that bastard's socks off while I'm at it."

Chichi burst out laughing at her friend. "Naturally."

**FREEZA'S CHAMBERS**

Zarbon's eyes remained transfixed on his monarch's tail as it slammed repeatedly to the floor in front of him in consternation, cracking the linoleum floor and sending tiny pieces sliding across the floor. He knew all too well just what kind of excruciating pain that limb could produce and he had the scars to prove it.

"Is that all you have to report Zarbon?" the Ice-jin asked, his tone flat, his back remaining turned to his officer, his tail continuing its relentless expression of irritation.

He quickly snapped out of his reverie. "No sire. We have a female contact on Vegetaseii who wishes to come to our side and aid us. I told her I'd speak with you about it first, Lord Freeza."

The destruction of the linoleum ceased abruptly, and Freeza's eyes glowing as he considered all of the possibilities and just what kind of advantages he could gain from this situation. "Very good Zarbon," he nearly purred, still gazing out the windows into the inky blackness of space. "Anything more?"

"Well," Zarbon began hesitantly, his gaze shifting to the back of Freeza's head. "The girl said that Vegeta's power level has not increased. She's fought him herself and assured me that I could easily overpower him."

At that, Freeza slowly tunred to face his favored and most loyal fighter. "And you believe her?"

The green haired man frowned slightly, trying to quash the niggling doubts in the back of his mind. "Yes Lord Freeza. I've tested her loyalty to us and have no reason to believe she might be lying."

The Ice-jin turned back to the window for a long moment, his arms behind his back, before looking back to Zarbon, abruptly changing the subject. "Where's Dodoria?"

Zarbon couldn't keep himself from visibly flinching. "Well sire…he's uh…unable to…he's in--"

"Hiding again?" his leader supplied, his expression unfathomable.

"Yes Lord Freeza," he admitted, knowing the Ice-jin already knew, but embarrassed at the inferior officer's behavior.

"That useless fool," Freeza scoffed, his tail slamming the floor once and then curling about his waist. "If he thinks hiding in my dungeons would save--"

"Pardon me Master Freeza, but I know for certain that Dodoria only wishes to stay on your good side and not upset you by being in your way while you're…upset, sire."

The Ice-jin laughed humorlessly. "Always the diplomat Zarbon. A quality I find abhorrent in anyone else. I wonder why it amuses me to see it in you…"

His officer flinched inwardly at the words, glad that Dodoria wasn't around to hear them. The pink coward believed Zarbon was Freeza's sex toy which, in Dodoria's mind, would explain why Zarbon was cut so much slack in comparison to Freeza's other soldiers. In truth, Zarbon was anything but that. He would sometimes act as butler, or he'd get rid of the bodies that resulted from any rise or fall from his monarch's moods, but usually he acted as intelligence officer. Sometimes though, he had a sick feeling in his heart that Freeza believed he had the potential to be equal to Freeza himself in terms of evil and that bothered him more than he cared to admit.

His master turned back to the window in dismissal. "Tell Dodoria to get his fat ass up here…before I go find him myself," he finished ominously.

Zarbon bowed before he left. "As you wish sire."

**TEACHERS QUARTERS**

"Oh my word," Bulma muttered, hiding her face behind her hands. After a moment her curiosity and disbelief got the best of her and forced her to peek through the spaces of her fingers. "Chi," she began slowly. "What have you done?"

Her assistant patted her ultra curly locks with both hands. "You don't like it?"

"You look like a brunette Shirley Temple, Chichi. Not a twenty something year old woman about to go on a date with an adult man."

Chichi frowned sternly at her friend. "Way to be supportive Bulma."

Bulma bristled at the sarcasm. "I'm trying to help! Friends don't let friends go out on dates looking like child actors! For Kami's sakes; I keep expecting you to start singing that "Good Ship Lollipop" song and start tap dancing."

"Screw you." The raven haired woman grabbed her pursed and left the room without saying another words as she stiffly sat down on the couch to wait for Kakkarot.

Bulma rolled off the bed and stalked into her own room, slamming the door shut in a childish demonstration of anger. _Just breathe Bulma. You're stressed, she's stressed, and it's no wonder we both lost our tempers. _She exhaled deeply as she strode to her own closet knowing suddenly just what she was going to wear. _Tonight, I'm going to show her, Vegeta, and everyone on this damned dirt ball just who Bulma Briefs really is,_ she promised herself.

**HOME OF BARDOCK**

"Oi, Kakkarot? Kakkarot! Where the hell is that boy?"

The man in question coughed from where he was standing behind his older brother, making the man jump. "What is it Radditz?"

Radditz scowled as he turned to face him, a towel clenched in one hand. "Father wants to speak to you."

"About what?"

The older Saiyan growled in irritation. "How the hells would I know? I was told to relay

the message on my way to the shower, damn it. Now get lost."

Kakkarot chuckled as he walked past his furious older brother and into his father's room. Their house was a good size for a third class; it was nearly the size of a 2nd class' to be honest. True, all of the residents of the home were officers beneath the King-a position usually reserved for the 2nd class lesser nobles of the realm-but the former King had seen great potential in Bardock years ago, and advised his son to look past their low birth, as he had, and realize the great potential in the three undeniably loyal men.

It was dark, but he was still able to make out the image of his father, sitting in a chair with both legs propped up on his desk. "Yes Father?"

Bardock didn't budge an inch; he was used to his son's quiet nearly imperceptible movements. "Kakkarot. You are going to Lord Vegeta's ball tonight?"

"Yes…unless I'm needed here," his son answered slowly, a look of confusion on his face.

The older man quickly glanced at his son's face, not at all surprised to see the confusion there. "The girl you will go with the…earth woman…you can expect a lot of chatter from her."

Kakkarot laughed out loud in surprise at his father's statement. "Yes Father, I know that already."

Bardock cleared his throat as he struggled to get his statement out. "Kakkarot, I understand you're no longer a child, but as your father, I am asking you to use your best judgment while you are around her."

It was amazing how quickly he became serious at that. "I don't understand. Is something wrong?"

_Do I advise the boy not to get emotionally invested? He's an innocent, he can't possibly understand the implications of all this. But then again, maybe it's best he learns on his own. I can't protect him from everything. And it's not like she's going to be able to force him to anything. _Bardock sighed deeply. "No, son, just…have a good time. Forget I said anything."

Kakkarot shrugged and left.

The older man sighed once again. _This house could use a woman's touch I suppose. And who am I to interfere with destiny?_

**KING'S QUARTERS**

The door to the bedroom slammed open rather loudly announcing the presence of the King's furious fiancé. Vegeta remained where he was; lying face-up on his bed with his feet resting on the floor at the foot of his king sized four poster.

Anyla made a beeline over to the foot of his bed, her anger diminishing the slightest bit at seeing the lover of her life lying in such a vulnerable position, but it returned in full force as she remembered why she was there. "Vegeta, I need to talk to you," she pronounced loudly.

"What is it now?" he grumbled, covering his eyes with one arm.

She put her hands on her hips, all the more piqued at his refusal to look at her. "I want to know why that half wit foreigner to your father's birthing ceremony is your partner tonight and not your fiancé! How the _**fuck**_ do you think that will look to everyone else?"

The King started to laugh; softly at first and then louder. He sat up, a smile on his lips as he met her wary gaze. "I never thought I'd say this, but you're right."

Anyla shrank away from him, afraid of the look in his eyes. Past experience told her that despite the laughter and the smile, he was extremely pissed off right then. And an extremely pissed off Vegeta topped her list of the Top Five Things to Avoid at All Costs.

"As you should know, the only thing we Saiyans hate more than a liar," he paused a moment as he got to his feet, the smile disappearing as he came face to face with his betrothed. "Is a traitor."

Her heart literally skipped a beat, and she took a step back from the anger she could feel coming off of him in waves. "I don't know what you're implying exactly Vegeta, but I swear I've always been loyal to you!"

"Save your bullshit for Zarbon, Anyla. I want you out; out of my sight, my rooms, and especially my life. And I swear to the gods, if I see you again, I will make that day your last."

Anyla turned and fled, knowing the futility of further denials. She knew Vegeta was a man of his word. She knew she was very lucky she'd been let off so easy. Anyla also knew that revenge was a dish best served cold, and was determined to see that he got just that.

**TEACHERS' QUARTERS**

That same day; 1855

Chichi glanced at Bulma's closed door again, then whipped out her mini mirror to gaze at her reflection. _I admit I do look rather young…these stupid curls are kind of childish. But still, as my best friend, Bulma could've been supportive._

She snapped her mirror shut and dropped it back into her purse with a sigh. _Then again, I really am clueless when it comes to fashion. Bulma's always been better at that kind of thing. Maybe I should go apolo—_

A loud knock sounded on the door, interrupting her thoughts.

Chichi stood up quickly, her heart racing. "Just a second." She brushed nonexistent wrinkles from her sapphire blue sleeveless dress and made sure her flats were securely strapped on. Something made her look at her friend's door once again and she hesitantly took a step in that direction, but she changed her mind at the last second, opening the front door.

Kakkarot laughed nervously as he stood there in his exhibition armor. "Sorry I'm late. My brother was giving me hell and it took forever to get rid of him."

She smiled. "It's okay. Let's just go."

"Where's your friend?"

Her smile wavered a little as she stepped outside. "She's still inside."

The guard looked confused. "Aren't we going to wait for her?"

"She'll be fine. The King's going to come for her, isn't he?"

Kakkarot chuckled as he guided down the hall. "Late. Vegeta's all about making an entrance."

Chichi rolled her eyes. "Why am I not surprised." She put her arm through his and briefly lay her head on his shoulder. "You're a good man Kakkarot. Strange to think you're such good friends with the King."

He laughed nervously, feeling himself begin to perspire at the close contact. "It's no walk through the park but it's not the worse thing in the world either. He's a good guy underneath it all."

"From what I've seen of him so far, I find that pretty hard to believe," she muttered.

"Just wait. I'm willing to bet that he's going to be fully displaying his charms tonight," her escort promised, leading her up a flight of stairs.

Chichi arched her brows in surprise and alarm, halting their progress so she could judge his reaction to her question. "For whose benefit exactly? The crowd's?"

Kakkarot laughed again, "No, for Bul—" He cut himself off, scratching the back of his head sheepishly with his left hand. "Uh, I mean…"

The raven haired earth woman stepped away from him, putting her right hand over her heart in shock. "Please tell me that doesn't mean what I think it does," she pleaded in a whisper.

He glanced to see if anyone was in earshot before answering. "Well, to be honest, he never said that. It's just a feeling I got watching those two together one time." He continued as she snorted in either disgust or disbelief; he couldn't tell which. "It's not possible anyway. Vegeta would never risk polluting the royal blood line by mating with a foreigner."

Chichi's brows raised alarmingly high on her forehead before coming down as she glared at her escort-who was inwardly kicking himself for how his words came out. "Just what the fuck is that supposed to mean exactly?" she demanded in a surprisingly low, controlled tone that still managed to convey just how pissed off she truly was. "That somehow we humans are so inferior to you Saiyans to the point of being considered tainted?"

Kakkarot instinctively reached out, placing a hand on her shoulder in an attempt to placate. "No, Chichi! That came out wrong. What I should've said was that as the King of us Saiyans, Vegeta is expected to keep the line pure, in accordance with tradition. Others of us are permitted the luxury of mating outside our race, but any foreigner a King was to show interest in, in a non-business related way, would not be easily accepted by many of us; especially the traditionalist elders."

_That was probably the longest speech he's ever made in his whole life, _she thought as she processed all of this information. "…I think I understand now."

He grinned, relieved to see the anger leave her eyes. "I'm glad."

There was a brief moment of silence between them that was actually rather comfortable.

He broke it, offering her his arm. "Let's get going to the party."

**TEACHER'S QUARTERS**

1912; that same night

"Aren't you done yet!?"

Bulma frowned at the impatient inquiry she'd already heard at least five other times in the last seven minutes. "Patience is a virtue," she grumbled beneath her breath, rummaging through her makeup bag, forgetting for a moment that he had super human hearing.

Vegeta snorted derisively. "A virtue I can do without. Just what is taking so long?"

She blew air out slowly from between clenched teeth. "Making myself beautiful," she answered at last, her voice full of exasperation.

"That could take all night."

Against her will for a moment, a smile made the corners of her lips twitch. _That bastard._ Forcing a look of disapproval on her face, she opened the door, stepping out into the common area. "It's got to be a Saiyan thing."

He didn't answer right away as he took in her outfit, but snapped out of it once he realized she was waiting for a response. "What is?"

She turned from him-in part in an effort to disguise her own elation at seeing him in his formal wear-finding her purse and tossing tissues and lipstick into it. "Impatience," Bulma finally replied, her heart racing in excitement.

"I won't argue that one."

Bulma laughed as she finally turned to face him. "That's because you can't," she responded, her voice a little breathless as they locked eyes. She gave into her annoyingly persistent urge to look at him, drawn in by his sardonic smile-that somehow managed to be mocking her and himself at the same time-and his that were as black as space, and like space, was full of all the mystery and allure of the unknown. She shuddered slightly as a thought came unbidden to her, a scandalous whisper of temptation; _it doesn't have to stay way. _She didn't know if it was the scientist in her, or the woman, and she didn't care. The emotions conveyed in those eyes had the ability to set her ablaze with anger…and once not too long ago, something entirely different. Her cheeks flushed in remembrance, but she refused to look away. Bulma smiled slightly as she noticed just how handsome he was in his red and black armor, wearing, as always his gloves and boots, which were sporting gold trim tonight.

"You look good," she confessed finally, relieved her voice came out casual, almost nonchalant.

He didn't respond right away, nodding in acceptance, and to distract attention from the fact that he was momentarily wielded speechless. His companion for the night had chosen a backless black halter dress made of a shimmer-y material he couldn't identify if his life depended on it. The dress hung slightly lower on her right side, giving her a sort of daredevil look. With it, she wore black, calf-high boots that nicely complimented her calves. Her hair hung down her back in a French braid, she wore a large diamond on her left ringer finger, and a matching diamond teardrop necklace and earrings.

"You too."

Several long seconds of silence passed between them full of tension and the unspoken until the King seemed to remember what was going on here exactly. "We're already over 15 minutes late. We'd better leave now."

Bulma nodded, feeling butterflies in her stomach as she stood by his side. "Let's go," she agreed softly.

**THE GREAT HALL**

1915

"Do you know where my son is?" Lord Vegeta asked as he finally managed to wave Kakkarot-plus his date-over to him.

The younger Saiyan shrugged. "No idea. I'm sure he'll be here any minute though, sir."

The former King sighed. "I knew he'd pull something like this. If he's 5 minutes later, your father will owe me 50 monetary units."

Chichi shook her head in quiet disapproval at Kakkarot's side, attracting the Lord's attention. "Ah, hello my dear; thank you for coming. I apologize for getting so caught up in one of my vices that I neglected to greet you, especially when you're looking so lovely tonight." He paused a moment, shooting her a winning smile. "Is your friend not with you?" he asked curiously.

"She's with Vegeta," Kakkarot reminded him before Chichi could reply.

He slapped his palm against his forehead. "Of course! How did I manage to forget that?"

A mischievous expression came over his face, "Probably in my anxiousness to see Anyla. Do let me know if you run across her, won't you?"

Chichi smiled, liking Lord Vegeta despite his uncouthness. "Certainly," she assured him, waving goodbye as Kakkarot pulled her back across the floor to his designated spot.

The Saiyan guests in attendance were all growing still and silent as they sensed the King's approach. Chichi and Kakkarot were standing on one side of a royal blue stretch of carpet that went from an arched doorway they hadn't been able to come through, all the way up a few stairs, to an ornate golden throne, and then continued to another arched doorway. Chichi had already taken all of this in, in addition to several stained glass windows that went at least 20 feet up to the domed ceiling where a beautiful fresco was painted of the kings of the past engaged in battle. Not for the first time, she found herself wanting to understand Kakkarot's—that is, to say the _Saiyan_—people better.

Through the arched doorway behind the throne came Nappa, looking very bored as he waited a moment, as if to build up the eager expectation. "His royal highness, King Vegeta XII," he announced, moving to one side of the carpet.

All present bowed deeply as a sign of respect, Chichi included, as Vegeta entered behind him, his companion on his arm. Kakkarot's escort stole a glance upwards after she sensed, rather than saw, the two go by and had to bite her lip painfully to keep from gasping at the sight of the two together. They looked…_right_ together, was her first thought, which filled her with utmost foreboding. Bulma looked calm and collected as she stood at the ever impassive Vegeta's side, her bare hand on his arm. Chichi chanced another glance upwards as the pair stopped before Lord Vegeta who was a couple of feet away from them.

After receiving a nod from his son, Lord Vegeta rolled his eyes as he instructed everyone to be 'at ease.' "Now that the King's finally showed up, let's get this party started!"

**Minutes Later**

After hearing her sigh for the fourth time, Kakkarot nudged his date gently with his elbow. "What's wrong?" he asked, worried he was boring her.

She shot him a sheepish look. "Sorry to be such a downer. I-I-I just feel kind of bad…"

He looked horrified. "Are you sick?" He unconsciously took a step back from her (the last time he got sick, he'd needed a transfusion, which meant needles. And he was definitely not a fan of needles).

Chichi shook her head. "No. Bulma and I had a fight earlier. And I want to apologize but I get the feeling she doesn't want to talk to me right now."

The guard looked puzzled. "How do you figure?"

She absently pulled one of her curls straight and then let it bounce back into place. "Let's just say Woman's Intuition."

Kakkarot's brows furrowed in consideration. As a Saiyan and a warrior, he'd been raised to trust in instincts which could sometimes be the difference between life and death, but in this case, his were telling him something else entirely as he watched the blue haired teacher/scientist as she stood at the King's side, nodding as he leaned down to tell her something.

"She doesn't look angry to me," he decided, turning back to his date with a smile on his features. "Either way, Vegeta will take her mind off of it."

Chichi found herself returning his smile and she squeezed his hand. "I hope you're right."

**Minutes Later**

"Am I supposed to be doing something in particular?" she asked him from the side of her mouth, leaving a smile on her face.

"No. Just follow my lead," he answered, walking to the center of the room.

Bulma smiled in relief and as she recognized the former King amongst the crowd, talking animatedly with the bald Saiyan that had introduced their entrance a short while ago. The staring Saiyans had unnerved her before, making her feel awkward and stupid while standing beside Vegeta with no idea what was expected of her according to tradition.

Lord Vegeta seemed to light up as he noticed their arrival. "Well if it isn't the beautiful Bulma Briefs. How are you, my dear?"

She curtseyed. "Very well, thank you. And you?"

He sighed melodramatically, his eyes gleaming with mischief. "Dreadful. I missed basking in your presence far too much."

His son rolled his eyes, ignoring the soft laughter of his companion. "Father, really--" he started.

"Relax boy. She knows I'm only joking," Lord Vegeta interrupted, bowing to Bulma with a smile on his face.

Nappa stepped forward, bowing to the blue haired female. "I don't believe I've had the pleasure of meeting you. I'm Nappa; one of the King's guards."

Bulma felt a slight blush on her face as she curtseyed to the bald Saiyan. "I'm Bulma. I'm a newly appointed teacher of science here. I'm so sorry we weren't sooner introduced."

He smiled in response. "Not as sorry as I am," he said lightly, bowing again.

King Vegeta stepped forward in irritation, taking her hand and tucking it under his arm.

"She's here with me tonight Nappa," he reminded the taller man.

Nappa raised his brows quizzically. "And…Anyla?"

"She's a footnote in history," Lord Vegeta responded quickly.

He lowered his voice so low that Bulma-who was standing only about a foot away from him-couldn't hear a thing. "We finally caught her in the act, huh?"

"Yes. Kakkarot did last night."

She couldn't help but take notice of the fact that the King had frowned at the mention of his former fiancé, and had looked away from Bulma. A part of her wondered if he still had feelings for her. _And if so, just what in Kami's name am I doing here in her rightful place, traitor or no? Is this all a ploy to make her jealous?_ She stiffened at this thought, her brows furrowed as she considered it. _I bet everyone here knows it too. Gods, I am an idiot of astronomical proportions, _she thought, a grimace on her face. Looking up, she was startled to find the King watching her curiously. "What's the matter?" she managed to get out, her voice casual.

He arched a brow at her question. "I was about to ask you the very same thing."

She looked away from him, reminding herself that those eyes of his were dangerous.

"Nothing, I'm fine," she lied.

Lord Vegeta shrugged and looked across the room, meeting the eyes of one of his lady guests. She smiled and winked at him causing Lord Vegeta to grin broadly as he left them. "Please excuse me everyone. I must go have a word with one of my guests."

Bulma tried to pull her hand from Vegeta's grasp but he wasn't letting her do any such thing. Shooting her a warning glance, he led her though the guests and finally out of the Great Hall, into a vacant room, where he finally released her.

"What is wrong with you?" he asked, clearly annoyed.

She was finally able to free her hand from him. "Nothing!" She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him. "Why are we here?"

Vegeta sighed wearily, leaning against the wall. "Because something is obviously bothering you and I am not going to let you give me that 'nothing, I'm fine' bullshit."

Something about hearing him imitate her in that falsetto grated on her last nerve. "You want to know what's wrong!? Fine! I'll tell you! You! You're the problem Vegeta, as if you don't know!"

He was silent for a moment. "I suppose I suspected as much," he admitted, almost to himself. "What have I supposedly done now?"

Bulma turned to face him, to see if he was mocking her. To her surprise, he was being completely serious. "It-It's not really your fault. This is my own fault, for not understanding the real reason why you asked me to come here with you."

Vegeta looked puzzled. "Real reason? What would that be?"

She looked away from him again and in the direction of the Great Hall. "To make your fiancé jealous."

He didn't bother hiding his surprise. "Are you fucking serious?" After a moment, he burst out laughing.

Bulma watched him; perplexed and a bit annoyed. "What's so damn funny?"

His laughter died down, but a smirk remained on his face. "You are. You actually thought I'd use you to make _Anyla_ jealous!? For that to be possible, I'd have to have feelings for the bitch, which I assure you is not the case. It's not even possible after what she's done."

The blue haired woman considered this. "I guess I was wrong. So why did you invite me?" she asked, completely baffled.

He arched his brows. "Isn't it obvious?"

Bulma shook her head slowly, feeling slightly hypnotized as she gazed deep into his ebony eyes. "No," she admitted, almost afraid to speak.

Vegeta smiled mischievously, slowly moving closer and closer to her, until there was only an inch between them. He cupped her cheeks in his gloved hands, forcing her to keep her eyes on him. He moistened his lips slowly and leaned down so that their noses were touching. Bulma closed her eyes and tilted her head back expectantly. Vegeta brushed his lips against hers for a moment, laughing as he brought his mouth to her ear.

"Because you wanted me to."

She opened her eyes, leaning away from him slightly. "You must have lost your mind, because I _never_ hinted at it; never even considered it."

"You never said it in words," he began kissing her again and chuckling as she leaned into him despite her current vexation. "But your body did."

Bulma stared at him silently for a moment as she considered this. Finally, she returned his mischievous smile with one of her own, kissing him once quickly and then pulling away, searching his eyes. "What's it saying now?" she purred.

He chuckled confidently. "I think we both know the answer to that."

"Good…let's go then." She started walking towards the Great Hall until he held her back.

"Where are you going?"

It was her turn to laugh. "Sorry to disappoint Vegeta, but I'm not looking to be your rebound screw in a deserted hallway. So…shall we go?"

He hid his surprise well. "Might as well." He started back without her, smirking as he heard her running to catch up, brushing against him as she finally did. "You a hundred percent sure about not wanting to be my-how did you put it?-rebound screw?"

"Positive," she told him matter-of-factly as they reentered the Great Hall. He chuckled and shook his head as if to say 'your loss' as Lettuco approached them hurriedly.

"King Vegeta, your father has received a report that states Anyla left 10 minutes ago. He wants to know what you would like us to do about it."

"Good riddance," Bulma muttered under her breath.

Vegeta's lips twitched at her statement, but he quickly grew serious as he turned to Lettuco. "Tell him not to worry about it; we already know where she's headed."

His officer bowed. "Yes sire." He turned and left to do as bid.

"Where _**is**_ your father?" Bulma asked, patting her French braid as she glanced about the room.

The King arched a brow giving her a pointed look. "Any particular reason why you want to talk to him of all people?"

She blanched. "Gods no; nothing like that. Your father is funny and he's always been a gentleman to me."

Vegeta scoffed at this. "Uhuh. Right up until he gets you onto his list, then he'll treat you like he treats every other woman."

"That's interesting," the blue eyed woman commented, studying her ring. "You two really have a lot in common."

He frowned. "I'm going to have to disagree with you there."

Bulma arched a brow. "Denial much?"

The King arched his brows. "You think I have your name written on a list somewhere; that I'm planning on making you my next conquest?"

"It really wouldn't surprise me."

"To use your own words, 'sorry to disappoint' Bulma, but in case you haven't noticed, I don't have the time or the patience to flirt with women. Now that I think about it, the only other woman I've even spent more than two minutes with-excluding Anyla-is you."

He seemed almost as surprised to hear himself say this as she was to hear it. If she was going to be honest in this-whatever it was she and the King had going on-she had to believe her instinct; that he was telling the truth. She'd wanted to tease him by comparing him to his playboy father, but King Vegeta was too mature, ironically enough; too dignified. And while he could be serious-_too serious_ at times she thought-she felt that their verbal banter was his chance to be more lighthearted. _Kami, it seems weird to admit to myself that I loathed him when I first moved here. Not that we're BFF now or anything, but I feel as if we've at least come to accept and respect each other as intellectual equals. I'm going to believe that's why he invited me here; to annoy the shit out of me._

When she had a conversation with Vegeta, it was a real conversation. She never once found him leering at her chest; _but that doesn't mean much when you think about it. The man has super human powers. He could be doing only Kami knows what in the fraction of a second time span it takes me to blink._

"I'm going to be up to my neck in trouble if I'm not careful," he said suddenly easily, his voice low and conversational.

Bulma's eyes widened in concern. "What? With who?"

"What would you do if I kissed you in front of everyone? Including your friend who's glaring at me as if I'm evil personified," he asked softly, watching her face.

She blushed. "Don't," she told him, her voice shaky as she put her arm up between them.

Vegeta smirked again. "I won't. But don't hesitate to ask when you change my mind."

"Don't hold your breath, buddy. You'll be the one asking me."

"I somehow doubt that," the King laughed.

Bulma smiled, sending a jolt down his spine as she leaned into him, her eyes on his lips as she slowly wet her own, glancing back up at him, a mischievous glint in those cerulean orbs. "I don't."

"Isn't this cozy?" Lord Vegeta interrupted a smile on his face.

Bulma blushed as she backed away from Vegeta and turned to his father. "Hello again Lord Vegeta; your son and I were just talking about you." She grinned mischievously at Vegeta, who was suddenly expressionless.

"All good things I hope," he chuckled, watching his son's face.

"Of course," Bulma responded, using the full force of her 1,000 watt smile on the unsuspecting play boy.

Lord Vegeta blinked, looking a bit like a deer in headlights. "Ah…well. I-I'm…glad," he responded dazedly.

King Vegeta took her hand, pulling her away from the dazed man. Bulma didn't fight him; she felt she'd won this battle and laughed when they reached the food table. "Looks like I got to you."

Vegeta snorted in disgust. "Don't flatter yourself. I was only saving my father from being humiliated."

"Whatever you say, my King." Bulma picked up a piece of what looked like bread and chewed it pensively. "This is good." Vegeta only grunted in response, going further down the long table, filling a plate with different items. Bulma shrugged, finishing the croissant-like bread. She reached for another only to find another hand reaching for the same one. She looked up, an apology on her lips, only to find Chichi standing on the opposite side of the table.

She pulled her arm back and forced a smile. "Hello."

Chichi smiled too. "Hi. Where's Vegeta?"

Bulma shrugged. "He's around here somewhere. Where's Kakkarot?"

"He went to get me something to drink. He's genuinely a nice guy," Chichi sighed.

The blue haired woman crossed her arms over her chest, irritated at her friend's behavior. "Yeah. So, are you having fun?"

Chichi nodded. "Are you?"

Bulma frowned as she tried to come up with an appropriate answer. "It certainly hasn't been boring."

Kakkarot walked up to Chichi and handed her a drink. He looked across the table and grinned when he saw Bulma. "Oh, there you are. Chichi said you left."

Bulma raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Well, I'm back now."

"Are you still mad at her?"

Chichi coughed, choking on her drink for a moment. "Kakkarot!"

He shrugged his shoulders. "You might as well ask her instead of playing stupid games."

Bulma smiled at the Saiyan. "No, I'm not mad at her any more."

Chichi looked so relieved that she felt a stab of guilt for a moment. "So, can we both forgive and forget?"

"Forgive and forget," Bulma replied, shaking her friend's hand over the table. She looked up when she felt someone brush against her. It was Nappa. She turned away from Chichi to give him her attention. "Why hello again...uh, I'm sorry, I've forgotten your title."

"Don't worry about it," he said. "Where's Vegeta?"

Bulma looked past Nappa to where Vegeta had been only a couple of minutes ago and then frowned. "He was just here."

"Damn. He probably got called away. Allow me to be your escort while he's away."

The earth female smiled a little. "What happened to your date?"

Nappa grunted. "She was feeling sick, so she left."

"Understandable. I'd get sick after being in your presence for a while too," Vegeta interrupted.

"King Vegeta, I was only--"

Vegeta scowled. "I know what you were trying to do Nappa. Now back off."

"As you wish, my King."

Bulma watched him go, feeling a little guilty. "I tried to find you."

"Just drop it," he told her.

"Attention everyone!" Lord Vegeta shouted over all the background noise. The many guests finally settled down, wondering what could be going on. "I'm afraid it's time for us all to go back home! Farewell to you all and thanks for coming."

"King Vegeta," someone said. "I wish we'd had a chance to speak tonight, but I guess you were caught up in this beautiful woman by your side. Just who is she, may I ask?"

Bulma smiled. "My name is Bulma Briefs, I teach the advanced science class here."

"Oh, I see," someone else said. "I've heard a lot about you from my boy."

"My daughter says you are very knowledgeable in your subject," a Saiyan female told her, nodding in approval.

"Don't you have an assistant or something? My son said there were two females teaching the class."

The human woman nodded. "Yes, she's here with the King's guard, Kakkarot."

Bulma wished she dared to look at the expression on Vegeta's face. She knew she must look like a deer caught in the headlights; she only hoped that the Saiyans would see her as someone deserving of their respect.

"Hey! Miss Bulma!"

Bulma turned to see Egplnta waving at her. "Hey yourself," she greeted her unruly but very intelligent pupil.

"My dad let me come. I couldn't find you earlier," the small child said, looking put out

Her teacher shrugged her shoulders. "You know how it is. Sorry."

"That's okay. I gotta go. I'll see you tomorrow!" the ten year old was gone as quickly as she'd come.

King Vegeta had had enough. He cleared his throat. "Let's go," he told her.

Bulma nodded, relieved. The Saiyans she had just met all said their farewells and let them go by. Once they got outside of the Grand Hall, Bulma sighed, relaxing. "I hate crowds like that."

"Like what?" Vegeta asked, his tone bored as he led her away from the hall, and past several small groups of partygoers.

"The kind that asks you questions and waits for you to make yourself look like an idiot. I just hope I passed their little test." She played with the diamond ring around her finger and held it up to the light, letting it gleam.

Vegeta glanced in her direction, just then noticing the ring. "Isn't it an earth tradition to wear a diamond ring once you're mated?"

"Yes," Bulma answered, not really getting what he was asking at first. "Oh! No, I'm not married. I always wear this ring at all the parties I go to because I used to get these bullshit proposals all the time, so I thought it'd be a lot easier to just pretend that I'm already married."

"Bullshit proposals?" he echoed.

She sighed. "There were guys that would ask me to marry them just because I inherited a lot of money."

Vegeta shrugged. "What's wrong with that? Money is as good a reason to get joined as any other."

"What?" the earth native exclaimed. "Money is the worst reason to get 'joined'. As soon as it's gone, the marriage goes to pot." She shook her head. "It's better to marry for love."

The King scoffed at her philosophy. "Marry for love? Such weaknesses can be exploited on the battlefield. The very idea is asinine and you and I both know it. Marriages of convenience are the only way."

"Oh really?" she countered, not believing what she was hearing. "Weren't you going to marry Anyla for convenience?"

Vegeta scowled at the mention of his ex's name. "Yes, until I realized how blind I'd been to her less desirable qualities."

"Aha! That's just another reason why marrying for love is better. If you'd cared enough, you would have been able to see through her sane act. Why were you going to marry her of all people?"

The King stopped in his tracks and looked at her strangely for a minute, before answering. "Why does it matter anymore?"

Bulma looked away from him. "I'm sorry. I forgot that she once meant something to you." She was surprised to hear a chuckle from someone who she'd thought would be upset. "What's so funny?" she demanded, looking at him in disbelief.

Vegeta's eyes shone with amusement. "Didn't I make it clear to everyone? I thought you at least knew; you always seemed to bring it up."

"What do you mean?"

"Anyla had two purposes. One was to basically show up at social functions; to keep appearances in that respect and the second was to satisfy me sexually."

She hadn't expected him to be so blunt. Bulma blushed, temporarily rendered speechless.

Vegeta raised an eyebrow incredulously. "What? No witty reply Bulma? No remarks on what a selfish pig I am?"

Her mouth opened and closed. The words wouldn't come. Instead, she felt an insane desire to reassure him; to tell him that Anyla had been the one using him, not the other way around.

_Gods, what is wrong with me!?_

"Vegeta, I'm tired and I just want to go to bed," Bulma protested, looking around and recognizing her whereabouts. She attempted to get around him so that she could enter her living quarters.

"Not so fast," he said, not letting her past.

"What is it now, Vegeta?" she said angrily, her blue eyes bright with tears of frustration.

The King was surprisingly gentle as he pulled her so that she was pressed against him, tilting her chin so that she was looking into his eyes. "You were right," he said softly, tracing her spine up and down her back with his hand, his eyes mesmerizing her.

Bulma shuddered slightly, and tried not to think of touching him, and especially not about kissing him. "About what?" she asked.

"I'm asking you," he said, his voice driving Bulma crazy. "Can I?"

Her voice was breathless as he looked down at her lips and then back up into her flushed face. "If it'll make you feel better."

He chuckled leaning down to kiss her and she put her hand on his left shoulder, tilting her head back to recieve-

"Bulma?"

In a blur of movement, she and Vegeta were apart. Bulma looked up to find Chichi standing at the door of their apartment in her robe. "Chichi?! I thought you were still at the party with Kakkarot."

Chichi shook her head, watching Vegeta, as he casually leaned against the wall with his arms crossed. "We left about half an hour ago. I heard a noise outside and I just came to check things out." She looked at her friend, who was ignoring Vegeta's presence. "It's late," she said pointedly, arching her brows as she noticed her friend's flushed state.

"Right, well I guess I'd better go to bed. I've got class in the morning." She turned to Vegeta who looked amused. "I'll see you around, I guess. Thank you for a very nice evening."

The King took her hand from her side and kissed it briefly. "I'm only sorry it had to end," he said aloud. Vegeta met her eyes before he left, an unspoken purpose there that made her knees quiver a moment.

.

Bulma made her face expressionless before she turned to face the waiting brunette once again, walking past her into their shared rooms, taking off her boots as she stepped through her bedroom door. Chichi closed the front door and followed her into her room, standing in the doorway with her arms crossed.

Bulma found a face towel and took off her make-up, drying her face when she was done. She walked into the bathroom and changed into pajamas. When she walked back out, Chichi was still there. Waiting. Bulma tried to avoid looking at her as she brushed her teeth, watching her own reflection in the mirror.

"You'd better do a good job," Chichi advised. "You've got to wash out all those Vegeta germs."

Bulma rinsed her mouth out and let the water go down the drain. "Chi, nothing happened."

"Bull. You two were together the whole night. Even Kakkarot said he's never seen the King attached so closely to one woman for so long."

"He was being polite," Bulma protested, trying not to out loud laugh at the very idea. "I don't know any other men on the planet so he asked me to go with him. It's that simple."

"Oh all right! I give up! I just want you to know that messing with fire will get you burned, Bulma." She sat on the end of the bed and grinned. "Nevertheless, I still want every detail. What'd you two do all night?"

The blue haired scientist shrugged. "Nothing really. He tried to force me to talk for a while-that's when we left the Grand Hall-and then I saw you at the table, after that I was ambushed by a bunch of the kids' parents, and then I saw Egplnta, and that's all that happened up until now."

Chichi laughed. "Yeah right, Bulma! The party started at 7:21, it just now turned midnight. If you honestly think I believe you two just walked around without talking or anything for over four hours, you're nuts!"

"Why don't you tell me what happened between you and Kakkarot?" Bulma asked, brushing her hair.

Blushing, she nodded. "Okay, I guess it's only fair. I'll tell you the good stuff. We talked for a while about his family. I told him about my life back on earth...then he walked me here and we kissed each other good night."

"Ah, that's so cute," Bulma said, smiling at her friend.

"Now spill, Bulma; it's your turn. You promised!"

Her friend shook her head. "No, I really didn't. Sorry Chi, but I don't kiss and tell."

"So you did kiss him!" Chichi squealed and then covered her mouth as she realized how loud she'd been. "What was it like?" she asked in a whisper.

Bulma blushed. "Like any regular kiss, I suppose."

"Right," the black haired woman drawled, watching her friend's face. "That's why you've turned beet-red, right?" Bulma threw her brush at her friend, making Chichi laugh. "We have plenty of time. Just tell me what happened."

Her friend sighed, lying on her back and closing her eyes. "All right, I'll tell you. Well, it kind of started when we were about to leave for the party..."

The End of Chapter Six


	7. Chapter Seven

Hi everyone

_Edited April 9, 2008_

Hi everyone! Bulma16 here! LONG time, no see, huh? LOL, yeah, I know and trust me, it was as hard as hell to not be able to write anything. But I'm back to doing what I enjoy so I it works out pretty well all around, huh? Anyway, if you're reading this, you're probably going to want to re-read chapter 6 for a refresher. Without Further Ado, I Invite You to Enjoy The Next Chapter!

Learning to Love: Chapter Seven

**Teacher's Quarters**

**Several days later… **

Bulma threw the magazine she'd been reading to the floor, stood up and began pacing; her dark blue eyes alight with rage. "This is so freaking boring! I mean, we've finished grading assignments, you cleaned the whole living area, and I've read all the damn science magazines they have and I'm dying of boredom here."

Chichi didn't bat a lash. Her high strung friend had been antsy for a while now. She'd learned shortly after meeting her friend years ago that once the brainy scientist got bored, she got moody. Bulma needed to constantly be challenged, to do things or there was no telling what she'd do.

_Thank Kami-sama Vegeta's been gone the last 8 days otherwise I think she'd take it out on him,_ she thought, getting off of the couch to go to the kitchen. "Why don't you lie down for a couple of minutes and we can think of something to do later?" she suggested calmly.

Bulma halted her pacing for a second and then finally flung herself on the couch, fluffing the pillows rather furiously. "All right…ten minutes max, and then we're going to think of something to do before I go Anyla on everyone."

Chichi laughed at her friend's remark. "Kami forbid! One psycho-bitch is enough for the world."

Bulma felt herself drifting off and she closed her eyes willing her body to succumb to the overwhelming desire to just relax.

**The Throne Room**  
**Approximately half an hour later**

"What in the seven hells is the matter with you Kakkarot?" the King snapped angrily as he tried for the 3rd time to get the man's attention.

Kakkarot snapped to attention, his cheeks turning pink with embarrassment. "I.I apologize sire. My mind was on other things." He trailed off, the dreamy look returning to his face.

Vegeta closed his eyes and took a deep breath, exhaling slowly. He opened his eyes again, a little calmer and smacked his guard in the back of his head, an irritated look on his face. "Snap out of it you fool."

The Guard winced at the force of the blow. "I'm sorry, sire, it won't--"

"And what could possibly be making you more absent minded than usual Kakkarot?" Vegeta asked, his angry tone not betraying his interest in the answer.

The young man's face colored slightly. "Uh, I guess the right question would be who, sire."

The King's face showed his surprise at this response and then immediately changed to show his disgust. "Oh for fuck's sakes Kakkarot, don't tell me your mind is on that dark haired wench."

Kakkarot's head bowed low and he said nothing.

Vegeta made a disapproving sound and after a moment of silence sighed. "And I suppose this isn't just one of those one-night things you're going to get out of your system, is it?"

"I'm certain it isn't. I would like the two of us to be joined sire."

The King crossed his arms over his chest, a puzzled expression on his face. "And why do you want to do this Kakkarot? What are you getting out of this arrangement? You've known her for such a short amount of time; how are you so certain that this is going to work out?"

The Royal Guard took a deep breath, his voice full of his pent up emotion. "I can just tell, sire. I-it's like we're the only two beings in the universe when I'm with her and I feel that I can be comfortable being myself. I don't want anything out of our Joining other than the chance to be with her," he said softly.

A little uncomfortable with the amount of emotion visible in the young man's face and in his voice, Vegeta looked away from Kakkarot from a moment, his face unreadable. After what seemed to be an eternity to Kakkarot, the ruler sighed and turned to face him. "If you're sure that this is what you want, then go ahead and do it Kakkarot. Just remember there is no backing out of this Joining, no matter what."

Kakkarot grinned from ear to ear. "I know sire, and thank you. May I go tell her the news?"

Vegeta rolled his eyes. "If it'll get you out of here, then by all means go."

"Thank you sire," the Guard said sincerely, bowing before rapidly walking out of the throne room.

Vegeta watched him go, a frown on his face as he remembered all that Kakkarot had said about his feelings for the woman. 'It's like we're the only two beings in the universe when I'm with her'. He ignored a voice inside him that told him he knew what that was like.

"Kakkarot is a fool. Joining for such sentimental emotions is always a mistake," he said aloud, as if to convince himself.

A recent conversation with one of his newer subjects, who was a humongous pain in his ass not to mention an eternal thorn in his side, came to mind.

_**Flashback **_

_She shook her head. "It's better to marry for love."_

_The King scoffed at her philosophy. "Marry for love? Such weaknesses can be exploited on the battlefield. The very idea is asinine and you and I both know it. Marriages of convenience are the only way."_

_"Oh really?" she countered, not believing what she was hearing. "Weren't you going to marry Anyla for convenience?"_

_Vegeta scowled at the mention of his ex's name. "Yes, until I realized how blind I'd been to her less desirable qualities."_

_"Aha! That's just another reason why marrying for love is better. If you'd cared enough, you would have able to see through her sane act." _

_**End of flashback **_

The woman had a point he admitted to himself, scowling at the realization that this woman's annoying voice was somewhere in the back of his mind and that memories of her could pop up at a moment's notice.

That was why he'd left the planet for a week on business, hoping he could 'exorcise the demons' in a manner of speaking. No such luck. The moment he'd made his return, he somehow found himself outside of her classroom where he could hear her lecturing about lipid bilayers. Irritated with himself, he'd left and told Kakkarot for the next two days that he would be dining alone. Nine days away from the cheeky earth woman and he could hear, see, taste, and smell her so vividly in his dreams it was like he'd never left her that night outside of her apartment. Vegeta swore as he strode angrily into his private training quarters with cadmium reinforced walls that screwed with ki detectors.

He hated this lack of control. He'd come to the realization that there wasn't much he could do about it; he'd just have to learn to ignore it. And hopefully, he'd be able to keep his...problem, a secret from everyone; especially the woman in question.

**Teacher's Quarters **

**Later that same day**

"Love?" he laughed derisively as he said it. "That word doesn't exist for me. And it shouldn't for you either. You're an educated woman; you're no simpleton. You and I know that the very beliefs behind love are based on idealism at best. It's a concept created to sell flowers, candies, and stuffed toys; to put a nice quality to lust."

Bulma sighed deeply, feeling hurt that he would say this and not knowing why. "Listen, Vegeta. I won't deny that what you're saying makes sense, but it's also true that love is a--"

He cut her off, a bored expression on his handsome face. "Love is foolish, when will you learn to admit that? It is responsible for more suicides, murders, and other crimes than you can even begin to imagine." The Saiyan ruler raised his brows as he seemed to sense her growing irritation. "I know you might disagree but think for a moment about why the idea of love may be such a 'turn off."

The human female counted to ten quickly in her head 3 times in three different languages and only spoke once she'd gotten her temper under control once more. "You've made some very valid points," she started slowly, trying to get her thoughts together.

Vegeta nodded, waving his hand to speed her along. "I know. Now, continue."

Bulma felt heat in her cheeks as the Saiyan's brusqueness began to chafe her last nerve. "Love makes you strong. And it's true that a few people go a little crazy in pursuit of it, fewer still actually find it, but the majority of people are afraid. They have a problem expressing their emotions or recognizing them and may be afraid of being rejected." She paused for a moment and smirked at Vegeta. "Or they could be like you."

He chuckled, not at all bothered by her accusing tone. "Like what exactly?"

"Noncommittal, aloof, unable to feel emotion and above all, and vehement in his denial that he is capable of ever experiencing such any feelings," she said sharply, glaring at him. She smiled as she saw a flicker of anger in his dark eyes. "Oh…but there's an emotion now, sire which convinces me you actually belong in that third category. I bet I can make you feel love for someone other than yourself."

The young ruler guffawed at this last statement. "Like hell you will. And who am I supposed to 'fall in love with'?" He gave her a diminutive once over. "You?"

Bulma's cheeks flushed, in embarrassment this time, as she wondered why the policy with her nowadays was 'open mouth; insert foot'. "Yes, I know I could do it."

Vegeta laughed softly, a look of amusement on his strong, tanned features. "Would you like to bet on it?" he asked her, a challenge in his dark eyes as he held his hand out in the earth custom.

Bulma met his gaze squarely as she grabbed his hand and shook it firmly. "Yes. To the winner?"

"The winner will--"

"Wake up Bulma! Wake up!"

_It was just a dream_, Bulma thought as she sat up slowly, yawning. "What is it Chichi?"

Her friend's eyes glowed in excitement and she took a deep breath. "Well, you missed everything while you were zonked out and I didn't dare wake you, but I just had to wake you and tell you something. About half an hour ago Kakkarot came and asked me to marry him...well, not _marry_ him exactly but come as close to it as possible according to the traditions here on Vegetaseii."

Bulma's blue eyes widened in surprise and she smiled up at her friend. "Congratulations! I'm so excited for you! When is the ceremony?" she asked.

For the past several days, her best friend had spent virtually every moment with the King's guard, so Bulma wasn't too surprised. Still, it was going to be different having a best friend that was married…

Chichi flushed red and looked away in embarrassment. "Well, actually it's today, and--"

"Today?" Bulma repeated incredulously. "Why are you guys doing this on such short notice?"

"We decided," her friend paused for a moment as she tried to recall the moment exactly. "We decided that it would be better this way. I feel complete with him and him with me, so why drag out an engagement?"

Bulma shrugged. "That makes sense. I guess I'd better get dressed for the ceremony then." She got up from her seat on the couch and started walking toward her bedroom.

"Wait, Bulma...wait," Chichi said, her eyes downcast. "I-it's a very private, personal ceremony and I-well, no one outside of the two of us and the cleric is allowed to be present except for the King."

Her best friend stopped in her tracks, her hand lowering from the doorknob. "Oh, I see." She fixed what she thought to be a cheery smile on her face as she turned to face the bride to be. "Well, I wish you both the very best of luck Chichi. I know you'll be happy together."

Choking back a sob, Chichi crossed the room and embraced Bulma, her body shaking with silent sobs. "I'm so sorry Bulma. I know this probably isn't very fair to you. I mean, I'm leaving you here all alone...and I don't even think I'm going to be working with you anymore."

_It just gets better and better!_ Bulma thought, patting her friend's back in a reassuring manner. "Oh, forget about me. I'll be fine! Just promise me," she began, looking into the brunette's face, a smile on her lips. "Promise you'll be unbelievably happy for my sake."

Chichi swallowed the sob that had been threatening to rise up and be heard and smiled, her eyes brimming with tears. "I promise," she swore.

**Home of Bardock**

"I think I'm going to be sick."

Bardock raised his brows quizzically as he looked up from the device he'd been tinkering with. "What's that, boy?"

Kakkarot gulped nervously, straightening his armor. "I'm being joined today, Father."

His father guffawed. "As I live and breathe! Well son," he began, clapping a congratulatory hand on his son's shoulder. "I hoped this day would come." Bardock smiled at his son briefly and walked to his mini-bar and began to pour up a drink for himself. "I'd offer you one but having a spouse means you'll constantly need your wits about you," he chuckled. "So, when's the ceremony?"

His son laughed nervously, scratching the back of his head. "Well, uh, that's the funny part. Today...in about 20 minutes."

The older Saiyan raised his brows inquisitively. "Tell me you're kidding Kakkarot." He shook his head at the silence that served as his answer. "Son, rushing into these things is never a good idea."

"Father, we both wanted to do this now."

Bardock rolled his eyes turning his back to the bar and looking his son squarely in the face a slight grin on his face. "Yeah, you just want to get straight to the post ceremonial proceedings."

Kakkarot blushed slightly, looking elsewhere. "Well, that's part of it..."

His father laughed, raising his glass in his son's direction. "My blessing to you both; may your first child come swiftly and easily."

"Thank you."

Bardock grinned at his son, a rare show of affection on his face. "Now go find your woman before she changes her mind."

Kakkarot smiled. "Thanks again Father." He saluted Bardock and left, most of his nervousness gone.

Sighing deeply, Bardock sat down in his favorite chair. It was going to be much quieter around there without Kakkarot hanging around. "Wait a second," he said aloud, his eyes growing wide with alarm. "He isn't really bringing her here, is he!?"

**The Newly Joined Couple's New Rooms; #96  
Hours later…**

Chichi yawned sleepily, smiling as she felt her mate stir beside her. Their private ceremony had been unlike anything she'd imagined as a child. But the words spoken had been so beautiful, and the look in Kakkarot's eyes so loving that Chichi had cried in spite of herself.

She stretched languidly wincing as her knee hit Kakkarot's back; he didn't seem to feel it because he merely made a grunting noise and went back to sleep.

_This is so unbelievable_, she thought to herself, smiling. _I never imagined that I'd one day get to be happy like everyone else. And I certainly never imagined that'd I'd ever fall in love in such a relatively short amount of time_.

Carefully, she eased out of the bed, trying not to stir the slumbering Kakkarot, slipped on a T-shirt that she had brought with her from her old room with Bulma and went to the bathroom. Chichi flicked on the light and stared at herself in the mirror, wondering if she looked different now that she was almost deliriously happy. Other than the smile on her face which could also pass as a delighted smirk, she looked no different; she only felt different. Like a whole new person.

The human female laughed softly, locating her brush amongst Kakkarot's things and brushing her hair slowly, a self-satisfied expression on her face. All her life she'd wanted to be loved and to love someone and now she had it. There was only one thing missing now…and well, she and Kakkarot had already performed the necessary procedures for this 'missing thing'.

_I want to have his child,_ Chichi thought, pausing in her brushing for a moment as she thought she heard a sound. She quickly dismissed the idea, going back to her brushing; a whimsical expression on her face.

"Not tired, huh?"

His mate smiled at Kakkarot's face in the mirror, shaking her head. "Not really. I just wanted to think for a moment. I'm sorry if I woke you."

He grinned, putting his arms around her protectively, resting his head on top of hers. "I missed you."

Chichi put down the brush and leaned into his embrace, her smile back. "I was just about to take a shower."

Kakkarot laughed mischievously. "Let's do it together."

"What?" Chichi turned to face him her expression puzzled. "Oh!" she exclaimed as she realized what she meant. "Let me just put my hair up--"

Her mate shook his head. "Leave it down this time, won't you?" he asked, his eyes darkening with passion.

"All right," she conceded, her smile changing into a devilish smirk. "But only if I can make a request of my own."

"Anything," the Guard promised, wondering what his mate had in mind.

"I want to be in charge; I want you to only do something when I tell you to," she said. For a moment uncertainty graced her face, but it was quickly gone again. "How-how does that sound?"

Kakkarot felt such inexpressible love for her at seeing that lapse of confidence. "Sounds good," he said throatily.

Chichi inwardly sighed with relief as she smiled at him. "All right. First I want you to take off my clothes..."

**Teacher's Quarters  
That same day…**

Bulma was sitting on the couch very carefully considering her situation. She was alone and hating it, but still trying to find the silver lining. _I can function just fine on my own. I don't need anyone. Oh who am I kidding; even Anyla would be good company right now, _she thought, a wry expression on her face. _Gods, I'm pathetic._

A knock sounded on the door.

"Come in!" she called, turning to face the doorway.

A servant walked in and bowed. "The King requests your presence in the dining Hall this night."

Bulma raised her brows quizzically as she pondered why the King would do such a thing after avoiding her for so long. Maybe he realized how lonely she would be upon the move-out of her best friend and he wanted to make sure she wasn't alone? _Yeah right_

.

"Tell him I said," she paused, trying to decide how she would be better served to finish the sentence. "Tell him…I'll be there," she said finally.

The servant bowed again and scrambled out of the room.

Bulma sighed, relieved that she had fought the impulse to ask the servant to stay and talk to her for a moment. _Damn Bulma, what is wrong with you? It's as if I have a fear of being alone or something_, she thought trying to laugh the idea off. But the more she thought about it the more it sounded credible. _That's ridiculous. I __don't__ have monophobia!_ The human female shook her head as if to shake these thoughts from her mind. She didn't need to be worrying about this right now.

Her stomach growled and she glanced at her watch. It was close to dinnertime. _Vegeta cut it awful close with the invite,_ she thought, frowning irritably.

Sighing, she stood up and for once in her life found that the last thing on her mind was her attire for that day. Not that she looked bad; she was dressed quite simply in a little black dress with matching black heels. Bulma made a grim face as she tied her hair up in a high ponytail with a black ribbon as she stepped out of the door, waiting until it locked behind her before she began her trek to the Dining Hall. _This just might be separation anxiety Bulma. I can't believe I'm having so much anxiety now, just because I'm all alone in such a strange place...with strange people_.

She frowned; _Vegeta had just better leave me the hell alone today. I'm not in the mood for his bullshit and mind games_.

**The Dining Hall**  
**Minutes later…**

Lettuco and Bardock both burst into hearty chuckles as Lord Vegeta finished telling his story.

"As I live and breathe, you have the most uplifting and, uh, amusing stories of anyone I know, Lord Vegeta," Lettuco finally got out between bouts of laughter.

The former King chuckled. "That's something I pride myself on; being able to share these stories with you all." he trailed off significantly, his gaze resting on both Bulma and his son, who hadn't even seemed to be listening. He put his hand on Bulma's shoulder, smiling reassuringly when she jumped slightly. "Am I boring you my dear?"

Bulma blushed and shook her head in embarrassment as she realized all eyes were on her. "No! Not at all! I was just lost in my thoughts."

Lord Vegeta nodded his solemnly. "Aha, well, I'll leave you to those for a moment." He glanced at his son who was currently glowering down at his plate. "Son," he said softly, a smile on his face. "Has the food done something to upset you?"

Vegeta's glare shifted to rest on his father and he flushed ever so slightly. "Old man, you fucking talk too much," he growled.

Lettuco and Bardock raised their brows quizzically, trying to guess what could possibly be bothering the two sullen occupants of the room.

"Has something happened between the two of you?" Lord Vegeta finally asked into the silence that followed his son's reproachful statement.

Bulma shook her head, picking up her fork and beginning to eat to give the semblance of normalcy. "No! I'm just-it's kind of hard adjusting to losing your best friend in such a short span of time."

Bardock nodded once in understanding. "That makes sense."

"I'm fine though, I promise," she said, smiling brilliantly at everyone.

Lord Vegeta glanced at his son to see if he had any reaction to these words, but the boy was seemingly in another world. He shook his head disapprovingly. "Such a beautiful woman such as yourself shouldn't be left in that apartment all alone." He grinned mischievously. "Want to move in with me?"

Vegeta frowned at his father then. "Don't be disgusting, that's--"

"It was just a joke," the older man said, chuckling as he saw the color creeping into Bulma's cheeks.

The earth female smiled at him. "Thank you, my Lord, but I wouldn't dare impose on the territory of the harem girls. They'd never forgive me for keeping you all to myself," she teased.

"Stop this nauseating talk this very moment," the younger Vegeta ordered, an angry scowl on his face.

Bulma frowned at him. "It was just a joke, _sire_. Why don't you lighten up?"

Lettuco and Bardock held their breaths in the silence that followed the female's statement, waiting for the imminent blow-up from Vegeta. Instead, they were relieved to see something resembling a smile-at least in form-on his face.

"You," he said almost wistfully, meeting her intense blue gaze. "You're always questioning my authority around here." His voice began to harden as he continued. "Need I remind you, woman, that I am the one in charge here **not** you. You'd be wise to keep that in mind."

She let out a burst of laughter, the tumultuous look in her eyes betraying her anger as she innocently spoke the words that nearly drove Vegeta to the edge. "How could I possibly forget _sire_ when you're constantly throwing your weight around."

No one dared to even breathe; the silence that followed the earthling's insult was deafening.

"Get out," Vegeta said softly, his burning obsidian eyes locked on hers.

"With pleasure--" she began, standing up.

"Not you," Vegeta continued, never releasing her from the hold of his gaze or raising his voice. "Everyone else; get out. Right fucking now."

All three Saiyans immediately got up to leave. Bardock hesitated a moment before he walked through the door, glancing back as if to say something, but Lord Vegeta clapped an arm on his shoulder and shook his head. The doors quietly shut behind them.

Bulma glared at Vegeta, letting all the pent up anger and passion she'd tucked away so long ago resurface. "How dare you," she said lowly, her voice trembling with fury.

He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back in his chair, never breaking their eye contact. "I've allowed you to get away with far more transgressions than anyone…ever. Perhaps I was so lax in administering punishment because of your ignorance of both, my culture and decent manners, but--"

"Ignorance!? If anyone on this fucking planet is ignorant, Vegeta, it's you!" Bulma exclaimed.

The King's eyes flashed with fury, but it was quickly hidden behind his mask of composure. "This is your last chance. I will not give you another one; do you understand? I know I've said this before, but now I mean it. If you ever contradict or disrespect me again, you'll pay the price."

Bulma laughed, her blue eyes sparkling maliciously. "Oh come off it. You're pathetic, Vegeta. If you think for one second that you can frighten me into respecting you, you're dead wrong."

Vegeta let his mask drop, a scowl adorned his features. "You're making this more difficult than it has to be," he warned her, his voice full of his rapidly growing impatience.

She tossed her ponytail haughtily, crossing her arms over her chest. "You can make threats until the cows come home. I'm not afraid of you," she said defiantly.

He laughed, and for a split second, it seemed to Bulma as if he was both on the other end of the table and directly in front of her, until she realized that he had actually moved that fast. She refused to let herself give any outward sign of discomfort as she scowled into his eyes.

Vegeta smirked as he looked deeply into her eyes. "You're foolish not to be."

Bulma forced a laugh of her own as she felt her knees quiver ever so slightly at his proximity. "How could I ever be?"

The King's smirk grew as he seized her by her shoulders, exerting a slight amount of pressure. "I think the real question is how you could _**not**_ be. Your kind is so fragile Bulma...it'd be so easy," he said softly, almost seductively as he gently wrapped his hands around her slender throat.

The human female knew that if he moved even half a centimeter lower he'd feel her rapid pulse beating and that would betray her false bravado, but was determined not to let his words or actions affect her expression. "Is that what turns you on?" she asked throatily, her eyes searching his for answers. "Scaring the shit out of women and having them beg for mercy?" Her voice was contemptuous as she mocked him in falsetto. "'Oh no, please no, Vegeta. I'll do anything if you'll only stop.'" She scowled at him, returning her voice to normal. "You're revolting."

His smirk disappeared and was replaced with his customary scowl. "You couldn't be any further from the truth," he bit out, denying her claim.

Bulma unfolded her arms and held them at her sides to hide the trembling of her hands. "You're disgusting to do something like this. Go ahead and kill me then. Death is better than having to put up with you," she hissed, her eyes burning with fervent dislike.

Vegeta stared at her, stunned for a moment, and then suddenly smirked as he seemed to realize something. "Nice bit of acting, but I'm not buying it."

"What-what the hell are you talking about?" she demanded, rattled by his statement.

The King said nothing as he gently moved his hands so that they were cupping her cheeks, his voice low and seductive as he spoke. "You might say that I repulse you or that you find the very presence of me nauseating, but your body says otherwise."

Bulma cursed the blush that came to her cheeks. "You're wrong," she wanted to shout, but it came out sounding more like a sigh.

He pressed his body against hers and chuckled softly. "Then tell me to stop, Bulma. Tell me to stop right now and I will." He sensually traced his fingers up her spine and then ran them through her hair, watching her face closely for her reaction.

She was literally shaking in an attempt to fight her body but was unable to keep in the tiniest of sighs from between parted lips.

Vegeta kissed her then, gently, briefly and looked into her eyes again. "Tell me to stop now and never see you again, and I can give you my word that I will never bother you again," he said, his voice husky with an unspoken promise of a night of exhilarating passion. "Now's the time Bulma; tell me that you are not attracted to me."

The blue haired woman looked up at him and thought of all the reasons why this was happening: she was lonely, she needed companionship, not only that, but Vegeta was damned good looking and there was no denying the chemistry between the two of them. _Sweet Kami, what the hell am I doing? This is insane,_ she told herself.

"Don't," she said, breathlessly without any sign of a tremor in her voice. "Don't stop."

**Teacher's Quarters  
The next day**

Somewhere in the world, the sun was shining, the birds were singing and it was a beautiful day.

_Why can't I be there right now?_ Bulma wondered somewhat grumpily. She hadn't been able to sleep as well as she would have liked after her night with the Saiyan King; after their night of wild, almost rushed lovemaking on the dining table-which Vegeta had hastily cleared with a brush of his arm-they'd decided to try again with the hopes that they could prolong the moment, but both had been too hungry for each other and too eager for contact to let that happen.

Bulma blushed as she remembered her screams' accelerando and how at the time, it hadn't mattered. But now, in daylight, with the prospect of being faced with disapproval by people she respected-namely Bardock-she was starting to feel nervous.

She didn't remember walking back to her rooms however so she could only guess that Vegeta had carried her back and lay her on the sofa and covered her with a blanket. _Gods...if Chichi ever finds out what I did_-- She flushed in embarrassment.

"What was I thinking? Was I even thinking?" the perplexed female asked herself aloud. But deep inside she knew exactly what had driven her to night with the Saiyan King.

"I have no regrets." Her voice was calm and sure, as was the look on her face. It was true. While thinking of under what circumstances and with who she had just had sex with made her feel slightly queasy, a part of her had wanted to try the cocky bastard herself. And she was glad she had. _It's like chicken pox…you get it one time in life and you never have to worry about it ever again, _she told herself.

Bulma sighed and ordered herself some breakfast using the VAP. "No one ever has to know."

**  
King's Quarters  
Thirty minutes earlier**

It was a frosty day in Hell that saw Vegeta actually sleeping in his bedroom, and the chances that he'd be in his bed AND sleeping past 0700 hours were deemed to be immeasurably slim. Yet as Bardock walked into the King's quarters at least partially prepared to find the worst, he chuckled at the sight of the young King sprawled on the bed, the twisted sheets giving evidence to the fact that he'd had a restless night.

"Sire," Bardock said lowly, not standing too close for fear of being killed on the spot.

Vegeta's eyes opened; he was fully awake just that quickly. "What time is it?" he demanded, getting out of bed with slight difficulty.

With some effort, Bardock was able to refrain from laughing at the sight of his King fighting to untangle the corded sheets from his body. "0730 sire. And there's a--"

"Meeting I must attend at 0800; yes I know. You may leave now Bardock and wipe that damned smirk off your face," the King ordered in a voice that said he wasn't really in a mood to care.

"Yes, sire." He bowed and left, his shoulders shaking with silent mirth.

Vegeta frowned in irritation as he got dressed, not really concerned with the prospect of being late. His mind was on the events of last night. He wasn't quite sure what to make of them, or what to expect out of Bulma.

_**Flashback**_

_She looked so docile in sleep. Vegeta almost laughed as he looked down upon the slumbering unclothed female. _A pity she'll be awake soon and back to her customary attitude_, he thought, a wry expression on his face as he got dressed. Their coupling had been exhilarating and in Vegeta's opinion, a cut above his sexual relationship with Anyla because there had been nothing false between himself and the human female; it had all been based on primal instincts and untainted by ideas of greed, duty, or manipulation. _

_Vegeta hesitated as he put on his gloves. There was something about that human that made him want her again and again. Even as she had been furiously speaking out against him at dinner that night, he'd found her outrage, in some way, to be arousing. Perhaps it was seeing how passionate she was or how beautiful and intelligent. _Or it could just be the fact that I haven't fucked a woman in too long,_ he thought, dismissing these ideas. _

_She stirred slightly in her sleep, curling up in a ball to retain her own body heat. Vegeta didn't want to tear his eyes from her, yet he knew he would have to. Sighing wearily, he picked her up ignoring any stirrings of arousal as he kicked the dining room door open and began walking toward her bedroom. He felt the silky strands of her hair brush against his skin and he glanced at her ponytail. It made her look so young and childish, yet he knew that behind that angelic exterior lay a wily, hot blooded shrew. _

_Luckily, no one was around to see the King carrying the naked female to her rooms or they would have wondered why Vegeta even bothered to see that the woman made it to her room. Using his override code, he was able to get into her quarters. Silently cursing himself, he deposited her onto the couch and covered her with a blanket. Sparing the woman one more glance, he left with his head full of questions that he wanted an answer to; the first of which being would she regret what happened? _

_**End of flashback**_

And now, the morning after, the more he thought about it, the more he told himself that no matter how she felt about it, he wouldn't allow himself to regret what happened. They both had wanted it, and to be perfectly honest, he'd wanted her long before this.

Something Anyla had somehow picked up on before he had. And his father seemed to approve of his attraction to her for some odd reason.

Glancing at the time, Vegeta left his rooms. He was the ruler of the greatest race in the universe; he had more important things to worry about than some one-night stand with a wench he couldn't honestly stand. Right?

**Room 96  
That same morning…**

"Where are you going?"

Kakkarot grinned at the sound of her sleep-ridden voice. "I've got to go on Guard duty. The King only gave me yesterday off." He walked across the room to her and kissed her. "I'll be back as soon as I can."

Chichi pouted as he turned to go. "Well, if you're going to be gone all day, I can go teach with Bulma, can't I?"

He nodded. "If that'll make you happy, I don't see why not."

She smiled at him, getting out of bed. "Then I'd better get ready to leave too."

**  
The Science Classroom  
About an hour later…**

"...in instances such as these, the cells multiply rapidly until a hardened mass is formed. Now, we call this mass a tumor. These can be very dangerous to humans because they can spread to different parts of the body using the blood stream--"

RING!!

"And we'll finish discussing this next time! Make sure you're ready for the quiz tomorrow!" Bulma called after the departing students. Once the last child had filed out and the door had closed, she turned to Chichi and smiled. "I'm glad you could be here with me. I thought I'd lost you forever."

Chichi hugged her briefly, a smile on her face. "Never." She raised her dark brows as she gave Bulma a once over. "There's something different about you. I can't quite put my finger on it yet, but once I do--"

Her friend laughed nervously. "I'm the same old me; nothing different here."

The newly married female shook her head, her voice pensive. "No, there's something about your face, you look...more relaxed. Maybe that's the word I'm looking for."

Bulma inwardly sighed with relief. "Whatever you say, Chi. You never did tell me how life 'joined' with Kakkarot is."

The brunette female laughed, blushing slightly. "It's heaven Bulma, honestly. I can't imagine life now without him."

"So," her friend began a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Any plans on whether or not you two will be having any kids?"

Chichi laughed, blushing again. "Well, we went through the motions but we didn't talk about it."

Bulma smiled, packing up her stuff and getting ready to leave. "Just don't forget, you promised to name your firstborn girl after me," she teased.

Her friend laughed, following her outside. "I won't."

"Well," the blue haired female said, her smile slipping slightly. "I guess you've got to get back to your new husband now, huh?"

Chichi shook her head. "No, I don't expect Kakkarot for hours."

Bulma's eyes lit up. "So, do you want to do anything today? Maybe explore outside the city? You know I can't go by myself."

"Well, actually, I was thinking of cleaning up and maybe cooking dinner," she said, laughing nervously. "Sorry."

Bulma shrugged. "That's okay. I'll just grade the papers we did in class today and work on the quiz for tomorrow. See you tomorrow morning," she said waving as they parted ways.

Chichi smiled sadly, feeling as if a portion of their friendship had died now that she was married, but waved anyway. "See you."

**The Throne Room  
After the King's meeting…**

"...I actually believe Frances said that the entire population of his planet was planning on holding a festival on your behalf to encourage peaceful relations and etc; they just want you to sign your approval first to make sure you're okay with it." Kakkarot glanced up from the piece of paper he needed to be signed and into the face of his King. "Sire?"

Vegeta growled in response, his obsidian eyes smoldering with anger as he thought on what Lettuco had told him just before the meeting.

His guard said nothing, knowing that the sullen Saiyan would reply when he was ready to and not a moment before. It seemed that he remained silent for hours-which was in reality only five minutes or so-standing stiffly, waiting for Vegeta to speak.

"She's becoming a problem," he finally said into the silence, his voice low.

Kakkarot raised his brows, rolling up the document in his hands and placing it at the King's side, on the arm of his throne. "Who? The blue-haired woman?" he asked, somehow keeping himself from smirking.

Vegeta scowled at the mention of her, ignoring the document. "No." he trailed off for a moment, his eyes flashing with an unreadable emotion. "I was referring to Anyla," he admitted, finally meeting the other Saiyan's eyes.

"What has that wench done now?"

A dry chuckle escaped the King's lips. "She had one of our ports blown up yesterday."

The Guard winced as he imagined how many may have been killed in one of Vegetaseii's busy ports. "How many--"

Vegeta interrupted him. "No one was killed, fortunately for her, but it's going to cost a hell of a lot of currency to have it repaired."

"Damn," Kakkarot cursed a frown on his usually peaceful face. "That woman has always been a--" he cut himself off, feeling out of line stating his opinion of the King's former lover.

His ruler locked eyes with him, a suspicious look in his dark eyes. "She's always been what? What did you notice about her long ago that I didn't?" he asked slowly, his expression guarded.

_Why did I even say anything?_ The younger Saiyan thought, grimacing. "Well sire, I couldn't help but notice the way she, uh, the way Anyla treated everyone else, and her uh, less than pleasant attitude to everyone that's not you."

"Hmm."

The guard laughed nervously. "But who could've possibly known exactly what she was capable of?" He glanced at his King, hoping that his statement would lighten his angry mood a bit.

Vegeta smiled for a half-second. "Perhaps I was hasty in my choice of a fiancée," he admitted, looking away from the lower-classed Saiyan. "I suppose I let certain..._assets_ influence my decision." He chuckled dryly, his dark eyes shining with self-mocking.

Kakkarot grinned, relieved to see the King's alleviated mood. "What living, breathing male isn't guilty of that?"

**Planet Freeze: Zarbon's Quarters  
Two weeks later…**

_Ah damn_, he thought as he realized the woman lying in his bed was dead. He grunted with abhorrence, using his foot to knock her dead body to the floor. "Disgusting waste of money," he muttered, getting out of his bed slowly, pulling on some shorts.

He walked into his bathroom, picking up his earrings on the way and putting them into his ears. The officer grinned at his handsome reflection, combing out his long green hair and braiding it tightly, lastly putting on his headdress.

His mind went to the dead girl on the floor. It didn't take a towering mental giant to see that the girl had killed herself after their night in bed together. Zarbon frowned. _And how did she get out of those handcuffs?_ he wondered absently. He quickly began to think of something else, just the thought of handcuffs exciting him.

BEEP, BEEP! BEEP, BEEP!

"Shit," he cursed, giving the mirror a parting glance before dashing into his living room in order to answer the Visual and Audio Projector.

"Dodoria. What the hells do you want?" he growled once the image of the large pink warrior came on screen.

"Some bitch called here for you!" he complained. "She keeps saying that it's really important that she speaks to you."

Zarbon's eyes had lit with interest once he realized this was about a female. "What's her name?"

Dodoria's faced screwed up with concentration. "I'm not sure. She looked like a Saiyan though. I think her name was--"

"Anyla!"

"Yeah, that's it," the fat warrior agreed.

Zarbon contained the urge to kill the ignorant ball of lard. "What the hell are you waiting for?! Put her through so that I can talk to her!" he demanded angrily.

Dodoria scowled, throwing his fleshy arms up in anger. "What do I look like; a fucking secretary?!"

"Just do it," the angry officer ordered in a calmer tone.

"Fine, fine. Hold on a second," Dodoria growled, looking for the right button on his computer. "I think this is the --"

"Ah there you are," Anyla purred as she suddenly appeared on Zarbon's screen. She was sitting before her machine with her legs crossed.

The green haired man grinned lazily. "What did you want to tell me, love?"

The beautiful Saiyan woman frowned, leaning forward as she spoke. "I've left Vegetaseii. Vegeta found out was I was up to, so I had to leave."

"Ah, and you want to know if you can come stay here on Planet Freeze," the suave officer supplied in that appealing accent of his.

Anyla slowly uncrossed and re-crossed her legs, having purposefully worn a revealing skirt. "If there's a place where I could stay," she said huskily, batting her lashes.

Zarbon grinned appreciatively at her display, glad that the slave girl he'd bought just last night was out of the way. "How about you stay at my place?" he suggested.

The manipulative woman winked at him. "Sounds like a plan! See you soon, lover." She blew him a kiss and then disconnected.

Freeza's right hand man chuckled as he disconnected his own machine. "I guess I won't have to worry about buying any more girls for a while."

**Outside of the Dining Hall  
The next evening **

"Are you absolutely certain about this?"

Lord Vegeta nodded his head solemnly. "Just watch and you'll see for yourselves."

Bardock and Lettuco looked at each other and nodded. "All right...but you know that no one will agree with it."

"Since when have we been a race able to agree on much of anything?" the older Saiyan countered lazily, entering the hall.

The two officers shrugged and followed, bowing as they saw that the King was already present.

"So, you have nothing better to attend to today old man?"

Lord Vegeta chuckled, sitting down to one side of the King. "Nothing is more important than dining with my son."

Vegeta snorted. "You're so full of shit old man; I don't know why I keep you around."

Kakkarot and his mate entered followed by Bulma. All three bowed and took their customary seats.

Bardock raised his brows. "Well son, this is the first time in a long time I've seen you and your mate here around this time in the evening."

Chichi blushed, remaining silent and Kakkarot grinned sheepishly. "Yeah, usually this time of the evening we're--"

"Officer Lettuco, how are things working out on the North East dock?" Bulma interrupted trying to spare Chichi the embarrassment of having her sex life spread before all these men.

The Coordinator cleared his throat. "Well, it should be completely up and running in about a week."

Bulma nodded, not really caring about the answer, but just trying to make her interruption sound legit. "I see."

Lord Vegeta elbowed Bardock and jerked his head ever so slightly in the direction of his son.

The Lieutenant obliged and was surprised to see the King looking at the blue haired woman with a curious look in his eyes he was unable to identify. _Confusion maybe? But it's certainly not what Lord Vegeta was talking about_.

"What a pain in the Royal derriere, huh? Having to stay on your toes for people like her?" the former king said sympathetically.

Vegeta moved his gaze to his father. "And not only her, but people who sympathize with her." He scowled darkly, spearing his food fiercely. "She's out there making me look like a traitor to our race," he said angrily.

Bulma allowed herself a quick glance at the King before she moved her eyes back to her food. "And who are the people who follow her?"

He quickly hid his surprise. It was the first time she'd spoken to him since the night they'd had sex in that very room and on this very table. "Some outcast Saiyans and I've heard there may be some other weaklings involved also," he said casually.

Bardock nodded his head at Lettuco who cleared his throat. "Sire, there's probably a very good reason for that."

"And that reason would be what?" the King asked sharply.

The Coordinator extracted a rolled up piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to him. "It seems that you've lost favor with a lot of people over this issue. We're not sure why, but it may just be the issue of you getting, uh, dumped by Anyla…who wasn't very well liked in the first place. But uh, it would seem that people like the idea of you getting dumped by her even less."

Vegeta laughed bitterly. "You just can't win."

Bulma felt a pang of sympathy for him then. She knew that feeling well.

Upon silent urging from Lord Vegeta, Lettuco continued. "The only uh...solution to this problem that I can think of would be if uh...someone else was to take the position previously occupied by Anyla."

Chichi looked up in alarm, her worst fears surfacing in her mind, but she remained silent.

Kakkarot's brows raised in surprise as he began to pay attention to the conversation around him once again. "You mean that--"

The King's brows knit together. "What you're saying is that..." he trailed off, a sick feeling developing at the base of his stomach as he mentally contemplated the statement.

"That politically speaking, getting joined would be a good idea," Lettuco supplied, a grim expression on his face.

Vegeta scowled darkly. "We all know that--"

His advisor sighed wearily. "That there are no more 'superior' female specimens left on the planet? Yes sire, that's true. Anyla was the last of the lot."

Chichi frowned, not at all liking the phraseology. "Superior female _specimens_?"

Bardock cut in before Lettuco could begin his explanation. "Females that are worthy of becoming the Queen of Vegetaseii; they have to be beautiful, possessing of superior intelligence, able to bear children, and their DNA has to be compatible with that of us Saiyans."

The King's guard sighed. "Believe it or not, we've been having trouble finding women to fit that description. The pureblooded Saiyans aren't intelligent enough; the alien women living here aren't compatible."

Bulma felt herself blushing for no apparent reason; she suddenly wanted to say, 'I fit that description! I'll take the position!' But common sense told her to hold her tongue.

Vegeta sighed wearily, standing from his seat. "Lettuco, Bardock, Kakkarot…and the old man. To my quarters now," he ordered, already walking from the room.

The four men rose and followed him. Kakkarot grinned sheepishly back at his mate as he left, shrugging as if to say, 'There's nothing I can do about it'.

Chichi sighed, standing up and stretching a bit before looking to her best friend. "You were awfully quiet today Bulma."

The teacher smiled, getting up slowly. "I just didn't have much to say."

Her friend laughed and walked beside her. "Yeah right. No really, why so quiet?"

Bulma shrugged, not really wanting to answer the question. "It's just been one of those days, I guess."

Chichi's smile slipped a little. "Bulma…how do you really feel about the King? I mean, you wouldn't consider joining him would you?"

Silence. And then; "I don't know Chichi. Maybe."

The brunette frowned, stopping in her tracks. "But why? You don't love him do you?"

Bulma laughed humorlessly at that. "No, but..." she trailed off as she remembered the discussion she'd had with Vegeta who'd told her that marriages of convenience were superior the so called love based ones. "I've decided love isn't for everybody. I'm too old to be chasing fairy tales, Chi."

Her friend felt a pang of sadness for her then. "Oh, that's a horrible thing to say Bulma! I felt the same way not too long ago, but now look at me; undeniably happy with a man who loves me in his own little loopy way."

Bulma shook her head, refusing to listen. "Love is too personal, it affects people too much. I want my marriage to be business. Just business; and I know any joining with Vegeta would be just that."

**The King's Quarters  
A few minutes later…**

"And you swear on the life of your daughter that this is true?" Vegeta asked his expression still weary.

Lettuco nodded solemnly holding up his right hand. "I swear it."

Lord Vegeta glanced at Lettuco for a moment. "Son, it all makes sense when you think about it."

"I know it does. It just seems odd."

Kakkarot leaned against the wall, crossing his arms over his chest. "Yeah, I agree with you sire." He sighed as he remembered the last search. "The last time just seemed to last forever, didn't it?" he mused aloud.

Bardock turned to face Vegeta. "Sire, I know that the process of looking for a suitable candidate is tiring but we're prepared with a list of candidates that have recently come of age. Once we have them tested--"

The King held up his hand impatiently. "Don't even bother. I already have a person in mind."

"Who?" his guard asked, his brows knitting together as he tried to imagine who might have caught the King's eye.

"Bulma," the two Vegeta's said at the same time-much to the amusement of the newly married Kakkarot.

The King glared at his father, ignoring his Guard's laughter. "What the...old man, how did you--"

Lord Vegeta grinned. "I'll tell you later, son."

Vegeta shrugged, not that concerned. "There are a couple of things though that need to be discussed before this issue can be brought before her."

Lettuco nodded. "For example, the nature of your relationship."

"Strictly business," Vegeta said quickly. "I feel nothing for the woman. I merely know that she accurately fits the criteria for suitable candidates."

"Uh huh," his father said, his tone making it clear that he didn't believe that.

Bardock frowned, a little surprised to actually see that the older Saiyan had been right about the King's interest in the girl. "Sire, is it absolutely necessary that we do this? Is there no other recourse?"

The King shrugged a glint of amusement in his otherwise deadpan expression. "There doesn't seem to be at the moment Bardock. But who knows, perhaps there is something we haven't considered. Either way, it won't really matter will it Lieutenant? It's not as though anything bad could come from it."

Lettuco cleared his throat, scratching the back of his head. "You're right of course, sire. Her race will matter little and she seems to be respected by many of our kind already."

Lord Vegeta frowned. "I think my son was trying to say that due to the fact that the relationship will be based on business, there will be none of the normal scruples or scandals associated with most First Class Joinings."

The Royal Guard crossed his arms over his chest, his brow furrowing in thought. This idea made sense to him; not that he approved of being joined for convenience, but as long as both parties were happy, he didn't really care. "I have a question though. What is she getting out of this? From uh, some of the things she says, I kind of get the impression that she'd rather die than be anywhere near you." He grimaced after he finished. "If you don't mind my saying so, sire."

The former King chuckled. "I guess we're picking up the same signals then boy, because that's what I had deduced myself." He looked to Lettuco and Bardock for support but both refrained from commenting.

"A good question, Kakkarot," Vegeta said languidly. "What do I, the King of all Saiyans, possibly have to offer her?" he asked sarcastically.

"She's a human sire and from what I've heard from my mate, a good one. She's been raised to join only for love."

His ruler hesitated a moment. "She's no fool. She'll see that the advantages in this dealing far outweigh any so-called love prospects" he said finally.

Kakkarot pressed on. "Like what sire?"

Vegeta raised his brows at the officer's persistence but answered anyway. "My position of power would be a major plus for her, not to mention the fact that she'd be free to do anything she so desires providing that it doesn't interfere with what I have to do."

His father shrugged. "I suppose I can see the appeal in that. The only question is; would she be willing to overlook both her 'moral beliefs' about joining and her apparent dislike for you, for all of that."

The younger Vegeta merely shrugged, outwardly unconcerned, but inside of his mind, he was wondering the same thing.

**Teacher's Quarters  
About 15 minutes later…**

Bulma ran her fingers through her hair impatiently as she tried to concentrate on the papers before her. It was no use. No matter how hard she tried to concentrate on the quizzes over malignant cell development, memories of him kept surfacing. Memories of their night together, of their sexually charged arguments, or just images of him: smirking, scowling, or his expression that night when they had simultaneously experienced euphoria as their bodies rode the tide to ecstasy. Bulma flushed slightly at that memory and she discarded the quizzes in order to get a cold drink.

She filled her glass with cold tap water and took a long sip, sighing. A slight movement from the corner of her eye caused her to stiffen and quickly turn to see who-or what-could have gotten into her rooms. She dropped the glass to the floor without realizing that it splashed her bare feet, the coldness of the water causing her to reflexively clench her toes. "You," she said breathlessly as she saw the man who'd been haunting her thoughts all day in the flesh, standing in her doorway.

Vegeta wasn't sure what to make of her reaction so he merely nodded in response to her exclamation. He closed the door behind him and stepped into the room, crossing his arms over his chest.

Bulma's knees wobbled ever so slightly. "What are you doing here?" she asked, her voice not betraying her inner turmoil.

His lips curled up ever so slightly and Bulma quivered as she remembered what he could do with those lips. "I'm here to make a business proposition to you," he said, his voice decidedly without any trace of emotion.

"What do you mean?" she asked, taking a step toward him, just barely avoiding stepping on a piece of the shattered glass.

Vegeta took a breath. "You remember what Lettuco was talking about at dinner tonight? And how we discussed the lack of female specimens here on the planet?" he began, his voice that of someone completely bored with the topic.

_Oh. My. Kami. H-he's really going to ask me_. "Yes, I'll do it," she said quickly.

The Saiyan ruler raised his brows in surprise. That had been surprisingly painless. "You didn't even have to think about it," he said, his voice slightly mocking.

Bulma inwardly cursed herself for her eagerness. "Of course I didn't," she said her voice cold and matter-of-fact. "I'd just be a fool to pass up the opportunity to be joined with someone in your position." She forced a laugh.

The King was surprised to find that a part of him disliked this answer, but he hid his reaction, nodding instead. "You're wise to drop that 'joining for love only' bullshit for a more logical solution," he said smoothly, waiting to see her reaction.

The female dropped her aura of confidence for a second, and then quickly restored it. "I know and you made a wise decision choosing me. I will not disappoint you."

Vegeta smirked at her statement. "And just how exactly do you mean that? Because if you mean sexually, well, I already know that to be true."

"I meant," she said with the slightest twinge of anger in her voice. "That you will not worry that I will turn out like your last choice of fiancée."

Her quip got the desired result; Vegeta's self-satisfied smirk quickly transformed into a frown at her mention of Anyla. "That remains to be seen."

It was Bulma's turn to be insulted. "You can't possibly compare me to that despicable bitch!" she exclaimed, her body shaking with pent up anger.

Vegeta chuckled. It was amazing; even in times like this where they were verbally sparring with each other with 15 feet between them, the sexual chemistry was still strong. He knew from the fire in her eyes and from subtle clues given off by her body that she could feel it too. "No," he admitted huskily, crossing the room to her. "Anyla wasn't as beautiful as you…or as intelligent…or as infuriatingly determined to keep me in a perpetually permanent state of outrage as you are." He ran his fingers through her hair wonderingly and then caressed the silky skin of her cheeks in his hands, his eyes taking on an expression Bulma had never seen there before and that she couldn't for the life of her place.

She felt her anger fly out of her window as his touch seemed to bring her to life. "W-w-why are you saying these things?" she asked her voice shaking.

He paused, his dark eyes amused. "Am I not permitted to compliment my fiancée?" he asked his voice light and mocking.

Bulma felt her stomach flip-flop in response to that tone and she had to tear her eyes away from his to reply. "I wish," she cleared her throat and met his eyes, her own dark with confusion. "I wish you wouldn't say things you don't mean."

The King's smirk disappeared. "I never say anything I don't mean. Remember that," he advised her coolly. He removed his hands from her face and turned to leave.

Bulma cursed herself for what she was about to do. "Vegeta, wait!"

He found himself stopping in spite of himself, something in her voice making him do as she asked. He turned to face her, his face expressionless.

"I'm sorry. I'm just so used to...I guess I'm not used to this yet," she admitted, feeling very self-conscious beneath his intent gaze. She smiled weakly at him. "I guess I'm just too used to us insulting each other all the time."

Vegeta's voice was filled with amusement. "Would you prefer it if I insulted you all the time?" he said, mocking her.

The earth woman shook her head, a genuine smile on her face. "No. I think I'll get used to the other thing pretty quickly."

He nodded. "All right then." A mischievous expression came onto his face. "And now to close the deal." He held his hand out to her and Bulma instinctively took it to shake with him, a pleasant smile on her face.

She gasped as he pulled her body against his and kissed her so strongly and deeply that for a moment she could have sworn she saw stars. The female melted against him, unable to do anything at that particular moment but submit to the undeniable feeling of attraction she felt for him. She tilted her head back and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him even closer to her.

Vegeta noted this and smiled against her mouth for a moment before he burned a trail of hot kisses down her throat. Bulma moaned, quivering against him and the look on her face then, the intense look of pleasure satisfied him. He gently removed her arms from around his neck. "I have some other business to see to. I'll see you at dinner tomorrow," he told her softly, turning to leave.

Bulma silently watched him go; she wanted him, there was no doubt about that, but she wouldn't beg him to stay. She had more pride in herself than that. She pushed her hair out of her face and glanced at the clock. It was nearly 2100 and she still had quizzes to grade.

Once she finished, she got dressed for bed, turning out the light and getting beneath the covers with a sigh. The human closed her eyes, hoping to catch some sleep before morning, but just as she was drifting off, she remembered her dream in which she had made a bet with the arrogant Saiyan King that she could make him fall in love with her.

Bulma smiled to herself in the dark, fluffing her pillow as she got more comfortable. As far as she was concerned, the bet still stood. The blue haired bombshell would prove to Vegeta that love (specifically his love for her) was something forcible and preferential in the long run. _You will fall in love with me Vegeta, and when you do…I'll be sure to laugh in your face for ever doubting that it was impossible_.

The End of Chapter Seven

Hey thanks for reading folks! This is a SUPER LONG chapter and it's got a lot of stuff going on in it. My favorite part of this chapter was when Bulma and Vegeta are arguing (you're probably thinking, 'which time Claire, you make them argue so much!') and Vegeta starts to be all seductive and tells her that if she wants him to stop then to say so, and Bulma says, 'Don't stop'. I love that part!!

I have a couple of really evil ideas for what's coming up next (needless to say it has something to do with Anyla). But I haven't started chapter eight yet, so there's no preview (sorry folks). Make sure you leave a review and if you want (or need) to be on the ML just email me at if you ever want to chat or anything you can AIM me sometime with any questions or comments or whatever. Also, make sure you read _Under Different Circumstances_. That story has months of my tears and efforts in it, LOL. All right, I'm going to start working on chapter eight (seriously, I am). So I'll talk to you peoples later!

JA NE!

BULMA16


	8. Chapter Eight

Hey everyone! COMO ESTAN USTEDES? I'm good! Glad to see the reviews (that goes without saying LOL). If you wanted a response and I didn't give you one…oops, sorry. Let me know and I will hook you up with one ASAP. This chapter was *SO* hard to write! I'm not sure if it'll be as fun as Chapter Seven, but I'm going to do my best! Oh and a request: For the sake of my waning sanityà REVIEW Under Different Circumstances! It's different, I promise! But then again…I've always tried to be different (at least I like to believe that, LOL). All right, brief summary of chapter seven for you forgetful people.

SUMMARY: Anyla hooks up with Zarbon (who eagerly makes room for his latest bed fellow). Vegeta's officers inform him that in order to quell uneasiness amongst the Saiyan race, he would need to find a mate. Vegeta (not to the surprise of his father) chooses Bulma and 'asks' her if she'll accept the business proposition. Bulma (after a hot and heavy moment with her fiancée) vows that she will make the arrogant King of Saiyans fall in love with her, and when he does, she'll be sure to crush him with the knowledge.

WARNING!!!! There is sex in this chapter. Forewarned, forearmed, and etc. You don't have to read it to understand the fic and trust me, it'll be extremely easy to tell when it's coming up. Just skip down to the next set of asterisks and you will have retained your purity.

Disclaimer:_ Whoever told you that I own DBZ and its characters is the same person who lied and told you that Santa Clause is not real._

LEARNING TO LOVE: Chapter Eight

** ** **Planet Freeze; port 787C** ** **

(Days later)

"Zarbon…"

He turned upon hearing his name and then smiled once he saw who it was. "Ah, Anyla. I was wondering where you were." He took her bag from her and gestured for her to follow him. "You'll be staying with me in my rooms…unless you changed your mind?"

The Saiyan shook her head, giving him a seductive smile. "No, I haven't."

* Thank goodness* he thought in relief. He needed a woman…badly. "Right through here then," he said lightly, showing her inside of his spacious quarters.

Anyla obediently did as he said, a smile on her face as she surveyed her new place of surroundings. "Very nice," she said aloud for the green-haired man's benefit.

He shrugged, his face a cool mask of indifference. "I have no complaints," he commented lazily in his sexy accent.

She laughed then, excited at this new change in her life. Zarbon and herself were so alike; how did she miss that before? "Perhaps you'd like me to show you my gratitude," she purred taking off her shirt and batting her lashes at him.

Zarbon felt that old familiar stirring deep in his groin area and his voice grew husky with passion as he eyed her naked body. "Put these on," he told her in a raspy voice, tossing something metallic in her direction.

The exiled Saiyan caught it reflexively and her brows furrowed in confusion as she looked down in her hands. "Handcuffs?"

** ** **Room #96** ** **

(Later)

Chichi clutched the toilet, panting, her arms shaking from exertion. This was the worst feeling in the world…but at the same time she was happy. She was pregnant: about 5 weeks if she calculated correctly. Whether this news would be welcomed by her new Saiyan family (i.e. Bardock, Radditz, and her husband) was the real cause for concern.

She sat back on the tiles of the floor, her back against the wall taking deep soothing breaths. Yet, something told her that the news would delight her mate, Kakkarot. No, her uncomfortable feelings circled mainly around the Saiyan race as a whole. Would her child be doomed to a life of mocking and jeering by 'full blooded' Saiyans? She wanted to doubt it, but she couldn't dismiss her fears.

The brunette female slowly got up, absently wiping a few stray tears from her eyes. * Think about something else, Chichi. Don't dwell on that. Chances are they won't even care. Think about something to do with now: present day concerns*. Her eyes narrowed. "Bulma."

She was concerned about her friend. How could she not be? Over the short span of time they'd spent on Vegetaseii, Bulma had changed and not necessarily for the better. She'd become more impulsive and daring, not to mention her outlook on life had changed: most importantly, her view on love. Chichi rinsed out her mouth and gave herself a solemn once over in the mirror. She didn't look as worried as she felt…that was definitely a good thing. 

But still, she couldn't help but wonder about her long-time friend. She wasn't blind; she had witnessed several times the chemistry between the arrogant Saiyan ruler and her highly spirited friend. Chichi shuddered slightly. She'd even sensed it on a certain level; it was almost tangible. The atmosphere between the two of them was so…intense. The earth woman turned off the bathroom light and sat down on the couch to relax for a moment. She didn't envy those strong feelings between them; she much preferred the loving chemistry between herself and Kakkarot.  

The real question was…what would possibly come of this union of effervescent individuals?

** ** **ZARBON'S QUARTERS ** ** ** **

(Days Later)

Zarbon out of the door, his arms crossed and a smile on his usually expressionless face. * It's nice having a live-in bitch to attend to your every need * he thought smugly.

Anyla watched him leave, a sickly smile on her face as she rubbed her arms. It was so cold in there. She winced as got an eyeful of the bruises on her body. She liked wild sex as much as any Saiyan woman but her new lover was considerably more forceful than she was used to.

 The Saiyan tried to stand on her wobbly legs, praying they would support her, but ended up hitting the floor with a small grunt of pain. 

This was hell for Anyla. *And to think I left Vegetaseii for this *she thought, her too pale skin filling with heat as she grew angry.  But she never made the mistake of wondering why she was here. No, she was much too smart for that. Even as she lay stoically handcuffed to the bed with a grunting and heaving pervert straddling her, she kept an image in her mind: her purpose. To destroy Vegeta for what he'd done to her. 

For as long as her body held hold out, she would allow it to be used by Zarbon until she was ready to use him. After all, he had Freeza's ear. It would only take a whisper, a casually made comment to put the thought of regicide into the Ice-Jin's mind. * Perhaps I should tell him that Vegeta's power is steadily increasing and that he plans to take over the Freeze empire* she thought to herself, a twisted smile on her face. That would do it. That would be just the kind of thing to get the timer going. And once time was out, she would still be around to say her final fuck you's to her former fiancée.

** ** **Classroom** ** **

(A week later)

"Who the hell is this guy? I thought he was just a substitute!"

Egplnta nodded in accordance to what one of the other students had just said. "Yeah, what's the deal buddy? Where are Miss Bulma and Mrs. Chichi?"

"Yeah!" the rest of the class echoed.

The substitute smiled a bit nervously. He was still trying to get used to Saiyans. After all, earth elementary school students couldn't blast you straight into the afterlife whenever they wanted to. "Your teachers have both been relieved of their positions."

Maize raised his brows languidly, leaning forward in his seat in interest. "What'd they do?"

Marvin Miller laughed nervously as he felt 25 pairs of eyes on him. "Well, I can only tell you that Mrs. Chichi is on maternity leave…that is she's--"

"Holy shit! She's knocked up!" one of the kids exclaimed.

A few of the girls smiled at the information, glad that their teacher and her mate Kakkarot would be having their first child so soon. It was considered to be a good sign.

Mr. Miller tried to hide his mortification by pressing on. "And Miss Bulma is preparing to be joined…"

"To who? To who?" the students asked, their young faces full of excitement.

Their new teacher smiled in spite of himself. "To the King."

Silence…and then

"I knew it!"

"Oh that lucky!"

"That's no fair, I wanted to marry the King!"

Mr. Miller held up his hands hiding his surprise as he realized the students actually quieted in response to this gesture. He cleared his throat, a pleasant expression on his face. "She left a personalized letter for each of you and…the best thing is she left the exams that you guys are scheduled to take today."

The class collectively groaned. They should have known better than to hope she would have called it off due to her absence. Their teacher was sometimes a little too astute for her own good.

** ** **The throne Room** ** **

(The next day)

"Preparations?" Vegeta repeated, a distasteful lilt to his voice.

Lettuco cleared his throat. "For your ceremony sire." He grinned at the disgusted expression on his monarch's face. "Perhaps you'd like to leave it to your father sire. He seems to do well with these kind of things and I believe I'll even go so far to say that he enjoys them."

Vegeta nodded impatiently. "That'll be fine. Just as long as I don't have to worry about that shit."

"Yes sire." His coordinator bowed and took his leave.

Kakkarot raised his brows from his position at the King's side. "You wish to have no input whatsoever sire?"

"None!"

The younger Saiyan remained silent for a moment, weighing the chances that he'd be blasted on the spot for what he was going to say and finally deciding to go for it. "Perhaps your fiancée should be involved…?"

The King glared at him and spoke from between clenched teeth. "Kakkarot, the ceremony matters little to me and it shouldn't mean shit to her either. It is a BUSINESS ARRANGEMENT. What part of that are you having difficulty understanding?"

His guard shrugged. "I was just suggesting--"

"Don't you have a brat to be worrying about Kakkarot?" Vegeta interrupted.

Kakkarot grinned upon the mention of his favorite subject. "Yes sire. But he's not due until…" he trailed off. "How long do humans carry children?"

Vegeta was beginning to see red but he managed to ask his question in a deceptively calm manner. "Do I look like a human Kakkarot?" 

The Saiyan guard didn't trust himself to speak; he merely shook his head in response to the question. 

"Then how the fuck would I know?" the ruler said in a bitterly sarcastic tone.

Kakkarot said nothing for a long while, hoping the King would take that time to cool off. After about half an hour passed he opened his mouth to speak.

"What now?" the still irate Saiyan grumbled, a sour look on his handsome face.

The Guard grinned sheepishly. "I was just wondering—how did you get her to agree to the idea? I know she couldn't have just dropped her values for someone, she uh, well…dislikes."

The King's dour look quickly cleared, becoming an expression of neutrality. His eyes gleamed with amusement for a moment as he thought back to the female's response to his proposition. "When presented with the pros of the situation—just as I told you she would—she agreed to go into this joining based on business only."

"So," Kakkarot kept his tone light just to insure the King wouldn't become angry with him. "Did you tell her the cons?"

Vegeta scowled, clenching his fists in irritation. "Why bother? It's not like they really matter. I'm sure she'll figure them out on her own."

His subject shifted his weight a bit nervously. "Did you tell her about bonding?"

At this, the King's eyes burned into Kakkarot's. "Why should I?" he said fiercely. "There's no danger of it happening in this joining."

"Of course not. But, well, others before you have said that sire and in the throes of passion have done so."

Vegeta scoffed at the idea. "I have more self-control than that. I would never allow that to happen."

Kakkarot looked away. "I hope you're right sire," he said aloud. * I hope you're wrong on this one, sire. Something tells me it would be better if you did bond. *

** ** ** Bulma's Quarters ** ** **

(The next day)

Things were moving fast: not that she was unhappy with the way things were going. But she couldn't help but feel as though she might be missing out on something in the speedy passage of recent events.

Bulma sighed and held her arms above her head so that the dressmaker could measure her bust.

"Yes, just last measure," the woman promised as she jotted some notes down on paper. She gave the human female a gap-toothed grin. "Will be a very pretty dress, yes?"

"I'm sure it will be," Bulma intoned, her mind a thousand miles away. In a month it would be official. She would be the Queen of Vegetaseii. A Queen for Kami's sake! Something she'd dreamed about since she was a little girl. Overlooking the lack of love in this joining, she could imagine nothing at this point that could possibly make her regret accepting Vegeta's business proposal.

* Unless…* she thought, not noticing as the dressmaker said her goodbyes and collected her materials. * Unless you fell in love with him, Bulma. That would just screw up everything. * She stepped off of the stool as she finally realized that Tatiana (the dressmaker) was gone, and she stretched out on the living room couch, stretching in a cat-like manner. *But I will not allow that to happen, * she promised herself, yawning. 

A knock sounded on the door and she was on her feet in a second. "Come in!" the female called, fixing her hastily made ponytail.

A servant scuttled in and bowed before handing her an envelope and leaving just as quickly as he had come.

Bulma quirked an eyebrow as she looked down at the ivory envelope: it had a particular smell about it…a scent she would identify as being decidedly masculine. "Vegeta," she breathed before she even turned it over to see the royal seal. Her heart beat just a little faster as she pulled a folded piece of paper from the envelope and opened it with her fingers shaking ever so slightly.

                _There will be a notable ceremony tonight in which our joining will be announced. Wear black and dress accordingly. Be ready by 1900 hours._

His name was signed at the bottom and that was it. No salutation, no ending not really much of anything except for orders…Bulma scowled down at the King's letter. "Asshole," she said aloud, throwing the letter to the floor. Typical Vegeta. She couldn't really get mad at him for being himself. 

She actually felt sorry for him, because tonight she was going to begin her seduction of the Saiyan ruler; he wasn't going to be able to resist her. 

** ** **The Grand Hall** ** **

(That same night: 2000 hours)

Vegeta nodded absently as he received yet another round of congratulations from the ceremony guests. His mind wasn't on all of the toasts he was receiving no; his thoughts at the moment were all pertaining to the female at his side. When he'd gone to her room an hour earlier to pick her up, he hadn't expected her to greet him looking so…spectacular. He hadn't been able to speak upon seeing her he'd barely been able to function from then on. The King silently thanked his lucky stars that he was sitting at a table in the dark right then or else it would be obvious to all those present just how excited his fiancée had him.

For her part, Bulma was oblivious to the Saiyan's discomfort. She frowned in disappointment as she noted the blank expression on his face. He was actually bored! *And to make things worse, he clearly disapproves of what I'm wearing * she thought darkly to herself. She'd chosen that night to wear her hair down in aquamarine ringlets about her face. After a great deal of deliberation, she'd chosen to go in all leather. So she wore a black (leather) tube top, black (leather) mini-skirt, and black calf-high (leather) boots. 

*What a waste of my time * Bulma thought to herself as she recalled how long it had taken for her to get the damned tube top zipped up. 

The human female raised her brows as she felt her fiancée nudge her.

"We're leaving," he said gruffly, not even meeting her gaze.

"Already?" she said, merely for the sake of argument.

He merely scowled and dragged her behind him.

Bulma smiled and waved to Lord Vegeta who was grinning in her direction just before the doors to the Grand Hall closed behind her. 

Vegeta released her and started walking away. 

"Wait!" Bulma called after him, annoyed by his abrupt departure. "Why did we have to leave so soon? It sounds as though the celebrating has just begun," she finished, raising her brows as she heard raucous laughter from inside the Grand Hall.

The King looked away from her, a scowl still on his face. "It's tradition," he said simply.

*Am I really that adverse to him? * "Having second thoughts?" the human female said softly, her blue eyes slightly teary.

"About what?" he said, his tone scornful.

"Us: me and you. You've changed your mind about getting joined with me…not that I blame you. I mean, why the hell would you want to--"

Vegeta approached her slowly: the look in his eyes making Bulma cut herself off. He cupped her cheeks in his gloved hands, a strange expression on his face as though he was fighting a part of himself to get the words out. "No…I'm not having second thoughts. I'm…" he trailed off, searching Bulma's eyes for something.

Bulma quivered slightly at the emotion she could read behind his words and in his voice. "You're what?" she asked him, unconsciously leaning into his caresses.

He pulled her body to his in response and Bulma's eyes widened in realization as she felt the   
Saiyan's hardened member against her. "Oh," she said, blushing slightly. "I-I didn't know."

The King ran his fingers through her hair, a sardonic look on his face. "I think you did," he stated in a matter of fact way, as he pressed her back to the cold, metallic wall. "I think you purposely dressed in such a way just so you could get a repeat of the last time."

Bulma could feel her body responding to his nearness and she shook her head trying to remember what she had sworn to herself earlier…something about a bet? "No, that's not true," she said, her voice breathy as the King easily unzipped the scrap of leather that served as her tube top. His fiancée held her breath in anticipation of his touch, her skin tingling as she felt his eyes on her body.

Vegeta chuckled softly as he eased the garment off of her body and onto the floor.

And then Bulma woke up.

****** *****

END OF CHAPTER EIGHT!

Oh, I know that was a horrible thing to do, but I couldn't resist! It's me being really evil and hoping to incite you all to review my other fics (pretty please with sugar on top!!). And (in case you haven't noticed) I've re-uploaded MIND GAMES, which thanks to the new FF.Net rule, is going to be 'lemon free' (darn LOL). Review, review, review and then I promise a very kind, long, cliffhanger free Chapter Nine! 

Claire *laughs nervously as she sees the readers' irritated faces* oh come on guys! It's all in good fun. 

Thanks for reading y'all! Don't' forget to review! It's good for your Karma. Or so they say. And because I'm starting to feel guilty about that totally evil ending, I'm going to leave you with a couple of my favorite quotes:

* The red nose might get you through fog on Santa's sleigh, but the brown nose will get you everywhere.

* Folks...she has reached rock bottom and shows signs of starting to dig.

Ha funny stuff, right? *Hopes readers aren't scheming to have an effigy of her burned… * TTYL People! Until the next update (which will come as soon as I can manage, I promise!)

Ciao for now folks!

*~* BULMA16/Claire-Chan/Aisu-sama/


	9. Chapter Nine

Thanks to everyone who wrote a review! I have some free time today, so I'm going to write some

**REVIEW RESPONSES:**

**ASHLEYRAINEY**: Thank you and I will!

**HOPE KILLER:** LOL, you are too funny for words, I hope you enjoy this chapter and thanks for writing!

**SAIYANPASSION**: 'Cause I'm evil, LOL. I'm glad you like LTL so far!

**OUTTADALOOP**: It was originally a lemon, but after remembering what happened to Mind Games…I decided not to include it. Sorry about the evil cliffy, LOL.

**PRINCESS BULMA**: Thanks a lot! And believe me, I will!

**BULMA**: LOL, I know how scary a sugar high can be *cough, cough*. Thanks for writing Bulma and take it easy on Anyla…that poor girl *ducks as Bulma makes a swing at her* I was just joking! 

**KRYS**: Thanks, and I fixed the problem (thank goodness). Oy, what a headache that was!

**ADBZFAN2K03**: Ooh, flattery will get you everywhere! LOL. Actually, yeah they have but I've never taken them seriously until now…hmm, maybe I should consider that: that I could be evil…

**SOUTHERNBUBBA07**:  Thanks for writing and uh…*coughs * let your AOR and DOR and the gummy bears know that I said, 'hi'. LOL.

**VINY**: Thanks so much Viny! And WOW, you're the **only** person I know of who likes cliffhangers, LOL.

**SSJSHADOW**: Bait is good though! It's still evil, but oh well, what can I say? Feeling sorry for Anyla is like feeling sorry for Freeza…you just don't do it, LOL! Well, I'll be calling on you once I start up on ten (let me know if you have any ideas). See ya later!

-----------

Hi folks! It's me, B16 in the proverbial flesh! I hope everyone's doing okay…especially after the whole evil cliffhanger thing and the chapter mix up.

*~*~*~*~* Learning to Love: Chapter Nine *~*~*~*~*

****Bulma's Quarters****

(The next morning)

_It was all a dream_, she thought, disappointed. Or at least the part where the King undressed her was. 

***Flashback***

"Us: me and you. You've changed your mind about getting joined with me…not that I blame you. I mean, why the hell would you want to--"

Vegeta approached her slowly: the look in his eyes making Bulma cut herself off. He cupped her cheeks in his gloved hands, a strange expression on his face as though he was fighting a part of himself to get the words out. "No…I'm not having second thoughts. I'm…" he trailed off, searching Bulma's eyes for something.

Bulma quivered slightly at the emotion she could read behind his words and in his voice. "You're what?" she asked him, unconsciously leaning into his caresses.

He pulled her body to his in response and Bulma's eyes widened in realization as she felt the   
Saiyan's hardened member against her. "Oh," she said, blushing slightly. "I-I didn't know."

The King ran his fingers through her hair, a sardonic look on his face. "I think you did," he stated in a matter of fact way, as he pressed her back to the cold, metallic wall. "I think you purposely dressed in such a way just so you could get a repeat of the last time."

Bulma could feel her body responding to his nearness and she shook her head trying to remember what she had sworn to herself earlier…something about a bet? "No, that's not true," she denied vehemently.

Vegeta's voice was laced with disbelief as he continued to run his fingers through her hair. "Of course it's not." He paused, an amused expression on his face. "What you didn't count on was my self control however. And the fact that you would be just as desirous of me as I am for you," he said lowly.

_This isn't how this is supposed to be happening!_ Bulma pushed him away from her, an angry expression on her face. "This is a business agreement, Vegeta, in case you've forgotten."

"No," he responded, his amusement quickly disappearing. "I haven't forgotten."

"Don't think for a second that-that screwing with me is some kind of-of-of a sick **bonus** you get out of this 'cause it's not!"

The King smirked as he realized something that she was obviously unaware of. "Don't you know **anything** of the Saiyan culture?"

The human female bristled at his mocking tone. "What are you talking about?"

"Our joining must be consummated to be considered official: surely you knew that? Don't they have similar rules on earth?" he asked softly, his eyes glittering meanly. "Don't pretend as if the idea of me touching you repulses you. We both know how…shall we say, 'responsive' I can make you," he murmured, his voice as smooth as silk.

Bulma gasped, her cheeks flaming pink with embarrassment as the memory of their wild night came back to haunt her. "Don't you **dare** make reference to that-that--"

The Saiyan Ruler raised his brows at her outrage. "Why? You regret that night then?" He smirked evilly. "Because I don't. I can remember everything from that night. The way you sounded…how you smelled, how you looked as you came with me…"

***End of Flashback***

_And then I ran away from him and what he was saying: as though I was a wilting flower or something. I'm so disgusted with myself._ Bulma groaned and covered her eyes with her hands as she recalled her dream…the bastard was right. She did want him. But she'd be damned if she was going to let him know that.

****The Throne Room* ***

(That Same Day)

"…it takes nine months, or at least that's what Chichi says. She wants to name him after some old guy she knew on earth, and that's just fine with me as long as he comes out healthy…" Kakkarot trailed off as he realized the King was showing no intention of shutting him up. "Is there something that troubles you, sire?"

A single muscle jumped ever so slightly in Vegeta's shoulders, and this was the only sign his guard had of his ruler's attentiveness. "No," he admitted slowly, after a long silence between them. "I was merely considering for the first time what the hell could come out of copulating with the Briefs woman…"

The lower classed Saiyan blushed ever so slightly and scratched his head pensively. "Well, my best bet would be that the kid would have the, uh, distinctive hair color of its mother…"

Vegeta frowned at him. "I wasn't referring to looks, Kakkarot," he growled. But he winced as he imagined a weak, frail human looking boy with the long blue hair and wide blue eyes of his mother. _That would be…unsettling to say the least._ "I was thinking in terms of strength."

Kakkarot scratched his noggin thoughtfully. "I never really even thought about that. Wow, wouldn't it suck if the brat came out like his mother? Uh, Strength wise?" he quickly added.

The King's scowl deepened. "Haven't **you** considered the same? Especially since you too are with a human female—and a rather weak one at that."

"Oh, well…I guess I haven't." The lower-classed Saiyan grinned sheepishly. "I guess I was just to excited about becoming a father so soon to think about stuff like that." He crossed his arms, a serious expression finding its way onto his face as he decided something. "Well, I'll be proud to his father whether the child turns out to be either weak or strong." 

  
Vegeta ignored Kakkarot as he noted someone coming toward them.

"Sire," Lettuco said, bowing. "Our sources have told us that Anyla has joined forces with Zarbon and that the two of them are residing on the Planet Freeze."

Kakkarot snorted. "I was wondering what happened to that fork-tongued, double-crossing harpy," he said, a look of disgust on his face.

The King nearly laughed aloud at his Guard's uncharacteristic statement, and he grinned self-confidently at his troubled coordinator. "Let her feed her poison into Zarbon's mind for a change.  I for one am glad to be rid of her. However," he said, regaining his somber composure. "There is still the possibility that she may somehow catch Freeza's ear. She might convince him to go to war against us."

Lettuco nodded solemnly. "Yes sire, that is the main concern among most of your Advisory Board."

Kakkarot frowned slightly in consternation. "Even if Freeza did go to war against us, with your superior strength sire, we could defeat him."

Vegeta nodded in accordance. "That much is true. But if he was to get enough people on his side to fight against us…" he trailed off significantly.

The two other Saiyans glanced at each other for a moment. "What can we do?" Lettuco asked, his eyes full of the steadfast determination of a man with the desire to protect someone near to his heart (namely, his daughter).

The newly joined guard cleared his throat nervously as he considered the possible reactions to his upcoming suggestion. "I have an idea sire," he said lowly, not meeting his ruler's gaze.

A pause, and then: "Well, spit it out then, Kakkarot."

The nervous Saiyan took a deep breath. "Why don't we ask your fiancée, Bulma?"

***Zarbon's Quarters***

(That same day)

Anyla smiled up at him as she felt him shudder and finally release before collapsing on the bed beside her. "Was it good for you lover?" she purred.

Zarbon could only grunt a yes as he pulled his new sex toy to him. _This woman is amazing. Never before have I ever been able to attain such heights_. He took a few calming breaths, brushing stray strands of green hair from his sweaty face as he turned her to face him. "Love, I've never met a woman like you before," he said, admiration in his tone. 

And it was true. In all his years of skirt chasing, the alien had never found a woman who interested him as much as Anyla did: a woman who didn't balk at his obsession with handcuffs or his desire to role-play. Anyla was special. So special in fact, that he was able now to acquire an erection without even using the handcuffs, the leather outfits, or the bullwhip.

_Is this love?_ He wondered, rubbing a strand of her beautiful hair between his fingers.

Anyla bit him gently on the nose before nuzzling her face into his neck to hide the triumphant expression there. _The dumb fuck is mine to control now. I suppose I should feel bad: I mean, it's not his fault that he thinks with the wrong head…and it's awfully mean of me to take advantage of his weakness, isn't it?_ She laughed softly as she got up and straddled the besotted alien, a wild look on her face as she rubbed his smooth chest. _Nah. After all, all's fair in love and war, right?_

***Dining Hall***

(That night)

"…to figure out how best to resolve the problem."

"Why the devil are you asking **me** of all people?" Bulma asked, surprise on her face.

Kakkarot grinned. "Well, actually it was my idea. You're supposed to be a genius so I guess I figured that you'd be able to handle a problem like this pretty well."

The human stiffened slightly, her eyes narrowing. "What do you mean 'supposed to be'? I **am** a genius!" she exclaimed angrily.

"Then you'll do it?"

"Fine!" 

Bardock clapped his son once on the back for a job well done. It wasn't everyday he got to watch his offspring pull the wool over someone's eyes: especially over the eyes of a 'genius' who allowed herself to be fooled into taking the assignment.

Bulma looked at the food on her plate wistfully, her mood quickly changing. "I just need to figure out the best way to go about this," she said to herself, tapping her fingers on the table thoughtfully.

Lord Vegeta swallowed a mouthful of food and grinned at her. "I suggest beginning at the beginning."

"Good advice," the blue haired woman said, a smile on her face as she glanced up at her future father in law. She cleared her throat slightly as she felt herself beginning to blush. "Where's uh, your son?"

"Vegeta? Oh, he had to attend some painfully dull Advisory Board Meeting along with Lettuco, just in case one of those board member bozos have come up with any wise ideas as to getting rid of the proverbial thorn in Vegetaseii's side." He shrugged as if to say 'no biggie'.

The human raised her brows, her expression amused. "Oh."

"So Bulma," Chichi began, her eyes locked onto her friend's. "Excited about the joining ceremony?"

Kakkarot glanced at his wife a moment before moving his gaze to the blue-eyed woman, curious to see her reaction.

She fought the urge to blush and kept her expression cool and controlled. "Not particularly, no. Why would I be?"

Lord Vegeta chuckled softly. "I guess I can understand what you said. Especially considering the fact that this is just a 'business arrangement'." 

Bardock gave the older Saiyan a warning look as he realized what he was implying

Chichi folded her arms on the table, a condemning look on her face. "It is just a business arrangement right? I mean, you haven't—in a state of denial—fooled yourself into believing you have no feelings for the King, have you?"

Bulma nearly fell out of her seat so great was her shock. "What! Sweet Kami Chichi, do you know what you're saying?" she said in slightly incensed tones.

"Do you know what you're doing?" her friend asked quietly, her eyes full of warning. "I just want you to think about it for a while."

Bardock frowned as he sensed the high emotions beginning to enter the conversation. "There's nothing to be concerned about. I assure you, the King has no romantic intentions on his part so, Bulma is not at risk."

"Risk? Of what?"

Kakkarot frowned at his father's words. "At risk for bonding. It's something only 1st Class Saiyans can participate in. It would intricately link 2 souls together forever. It's very dangerous for both parties because…well, it's kind of like always knowing what your partner feels and thinks." He paused for a moment. "It would be the human equivalent of finding your soul mate I think."

His mate frowned. "And why don't the other classes have something like that?"

The Guard smiled at her. "We typically don't join for the wrong reasons, so the bond doesn't need to exist between us. Because when 2 lower classed people choose to be joined to one another…it's usually for--"

"Love," Bulma interrupted, saying the word scornfully. "I don't believe in that anymore."

Bardock nodded his head in agreement, finally beginning to enjoy where the conversation was going. "Of course you don't! Anyone with half a brain cell would tell you that love is really just an irrepressible desire to no longer be alone, so therefore you take a mate and give them false promises of faith, loyalty and undying affections," he said, his disgust with the subject evident from the expression on his face.

The King's fiancée nodded, glad that the Lieutenant was on her side. "I whole-heartedly agree. Which is why I believe that-that this arrangement is ideal."

Chichi opened her mouth to object but a look from her mate silenced her. 'She'll figure it out for herself' he mouthed to her, a smile on his face. She folded her lips angrily at first, and then nodded in agreement. I'll just l_et Bulma discover for herself just how wrong she is about her little 'arrangement' with the King. I only wish I could find a way to make her see for herself what is so obvious to Kakkarot and I._

***Planet Freeze***

(About a week later)

"And just how is your new squeeze working out for you Zarbon?"

The green-haired man flinched ever so slightly at hearing his new lover being referred to as such but he otherwise kept his composure. "Very well sire."

Freeza chuckled in amusement. "I'm so glad for you," he said in that light, airy tone that scared the hell out of all of his men. "Now, what information have you gotten out of her about the Saiyans? Or have you been so busy getting her to open her legs that you've forgotten to get her to open her mouth?"

Zarbon flushed slightly at the harsh words. "Well sire…she doesn't know much more about the Saiyans than we already know."

"I see," the white lizard said softly, his eyes burning into his officers. "So what you're telling me is that you've been wasting valuable time fucking around with that ignorant monkey wench, when you could be elsewhere being of some use to me? Is that what you're telling me Zarbon?"

The tall alien trembled in fear, unable to answer the question.

"Oh, Zarbon," his master said in what was supposed to pass as a pitying, sympathetic tone. "When will you learn better than to be lead around by your dick? You're so like the Saiyans in that respect."

"Sire--"

The Ice-Jin's eyes flashed angrily. "Silence!" he commanded, the entire pretense of kindness long gone. "Here's what I am going to do for you today Zarbon," Freeza began, putting a hand on his officer's shoulder. "I'm going to give you a choice that will affect your sexual escapades: either you decide to ditch the bitch or you can keep her, under the condition that she is in some way, doing this empire, a service. Do I make myself clear to you, Zarbon?"

Zarbon bowed his head and nodded. "Perfectly, Mater Freeza."

"Good. Now get out of here; I'm tired of looking at you."

***Bulma's Quarters***

(Days Later)

"I don't envy you one bit," Bulma said, a wry expression on her face.

Chichi laughed, tossing a magazine at her friend as she sat down. "It isn't so bad, really! And besides, I've always wanted a child of my own."

Her friend laughed. "That's a scary thought: a person raised to believe that your word is the final word on everything. My gosh," she gasped in mock horror. "Why stop at having just **one** child? Why not have 10 or 20? That way you'll have a little adoring fan club of your own!"

"Ha, ha," Chichi said dryly, wrinkling her nose in disgust. "I don't know…I'm thinking I don't want more than 3 children. I know—thanks to Kakkarot the blabbermouth—that my first child is a boy…I just hope that the next two might be girls," she said wistfully.

Bulma winced. "Three kids? Good, sweet Kami, and I thought one was too many!"

The brunette woman quickly sobered, leaning forward to maintain eye contact with her friend. "Seriously though Bulma, I know this is off subject and everything, but every single time I bring this up, you find some way to change the subject! Have you really turned your back on love?"

"Well—"

"Ah ha! I knew it!" the younger woman crowed. "I knew you couldn't just drop all of your old ideas like that just because Vegeta asked you to."

"Love exists, I don't deny that," Bulma began, looking away from her friend. "Just not for me."

Chichi stood up angrily, putting her hands on her hips. "And what makes **you** so different that you would be the only person in the world without a soul mate?" she demanded. 

Her friend chewed her lip thoughtfully as she pondered on the topic. "Well, nothing. But still, this is the best opportunity placed on the table before me up until now, so why the hell shouldn't I take it?"

"Well…because it's wrong for one," the pregnant woman said slowly, trying to think of other reasons. "And because, it isn't fair to you: you deserve better than Vegeta."

Bulma smiled at her long-time friend. "Thanks Chichi, for believing that." _Even though I don't._

"Don't thank me yet! I have something I want to put on the table. Now, these are just wild ideas, mind you. But I believe that you can so easily see yourself in this 'business arrangement' with the King because you're half-way in love with him."

The blue-haired woman laughed at this idea. "In love with Vegeta? Oh, Chichi come on!"

"But I've seen it!" her friend protested. "I've seen the way you look at him, and I've heard the way you talk about him. I really do think that you have some kind of amorous feelings for that man Bulma. Whether it's love or lust is the only real question I have."

***Flashback***

"No, that's not true," she said, her voice breathy as the King easily unzipped the scrap of leather that served as her tube top. His fiancée held her breath in anticipation of his touch, her skin tingling as she felt his eyes on her body.

Vegeta chuckled softly as he eased the garment off of her body and onto the floor.

***End of Flashback***

Bulma flushed with embarrassment. She couldn't honestly deny what her friend had just said. She was, in fact, sexually attracted to the bothersome Saiyan: so she could admit to that much…but halfway in love with him. _That's just going too far._

 "Okay, maybe I'm 'in lust' with him," she admitted, raising her brows as she stated her question. "But so what? That still doesn't make our business proposition anything other than what it is: just an arrangement between two people. It's basically marriage, minus the love and devotion part."

Chichi waved her hand in dismissal to that information. "I know what the 'agreement' between you is. But I still think that it will change into something else."

"Yeah…right."

Her friend got up, a smile on her face to balance out the seriousness in her words. "Just don't forget about that bonding thing. If that was to happen somehow…well, like it or not you'll be stuck to him."

Bulma rolled her eyes, seeing her friend out. "I know, I know. And trust me, I won't let that ever happen."

***Grand Hall***

(Weeks later)

"Ooh, doesn't she look pretty, Father?"

Lettuco shushed his offspring but nodded his head in response to her question. Bulma—their new Queen—was dressed so that she seemed to radiate more beauty than ever before. _Well, at least nothing bad has happened thus far._ He thought optimistically, he jostled the child resting on his shoulders a bit. "Shall we go greet them now?"

Egplnta's smile got even bigger. "Yes, please!"

"All right then, let's go do it."

******

She'd believed that her visage throughout this event would be strained and artificial, but to her surprise, it was very natural and extremely effortless to keep a small, impersonal smile on her face. Bulma found that she rather enjoyed being up here before of all the Saiyan people…_my people,_ she thought for a half second, and then quickly dismissed the notion. No, they would never be her people. Of that much she was certain. 

At any moment now, Bulma was expecting to open her eyes and find that she was dreaming. Yet as the events of the ritual took place and time went on, she began to realize that this was for real. She really was getting joined with Vegeta. By the time she realized that, it was far too late to do anything to stop this. So she kept her composure, her gloved hand resting ever so lightly on her mate's arm. 

_This is hell._

******

Chichi spared her friend one more glance before sitting down at a dining table with her mate and his raucous family. _Poor Bulma,_ she thought, chewing on her lip thoughtfully. _It seems as though she's beginning to realize what a monumental mistake she's made. But…it's too late for her to back out of it now, the poor girl. Well, actually, she can still end the joining later as long as they don't consummate it…_

******

Vegeta had never in his life been so attuned to another person's discomfort…and he wasn't enjoying it. _Just imagine how much worse this would be if we were bonded,_ he thought to himself, a grim expression on his face.

He tried to keep thoughts similar to this one in nature in the forefront of his mind: because when he took her tonight, he was going to have to use some self-control.

"Sire and, uh Your Majesty."

Vegeta turned his body so that he and his mate were facing Lettuco the bowing and his wide-eyed imp. "Lettuco," he said, acknowledging the man and his daughter with a nod.

Somewhere from the foggy haze of her mind, Bulma was able to recognize the two Saiyans and she smiled at the youngster.

The coordinator stood and nudged his daughter, who curtsied sweetly to them. "Good health to King Vegeta and Queen Bulma, and may your joining be a peaceful, fruitful one."

Her father hid his proud expression as his daughter spoke the standard statement of congratulations to their rulers and inwardly relaxed, grateful that the little upstart hadn't tried any of her usual tricks. 

"Thank you," the human female said in a detached manner.

Egplnta met her gaze and smiled brightly, winking so covertly that Bulma wasn't really sure that it'd happened. She curtsied to the King again, took her father's hand and pulled him in the opposite direction.

Once they were well out of earshot, she pulled on her father's hand to get his attention. "Father, do you think their joining will actually be a good one?"

Lettuco patted his offspring reassuringly on the back. "Of course it will," he said. _That is, if Lord Vegeta was right…_

She nodded her head wisely, her eyes glittering with conviction. "I think so too. I could tell that they were very compatible."

Her father rolled his eyes. _From the mouths of babes…_he thought sardonically, leading the child in the direction of Kakkarot's table.

"Ah, Lettuco!"

The coordinator nodded at Radditz before turning to Bardock. "Do you know where Lord Vegeta is?"

The older Saiyan sighed wearily. "I believe I see him just behind you, making a beeline for the Queen."

Lettuco watched the Lord for a moment and then turned back to the Lieutenant. "Do you think he was right about those two?"

Bardock frowned slightly, ignoring his older son's questioning look. "It's too early to tell yet. But, personally, from the pained expressions on both of their faces, I'm starting to believe that Lord Vegeta was entirely mistaken."

*** Grand Hall ***

(Hours Later)

It was growing late, and his mate was growing tired. Vegeta met Nappa's gaze and nodded once.

The bald Saiyan gained everyone's attention with his booming voice. "The King and his new mate are retiring for the night."

All of the occupants of the room bowed respectfully as the royal pair descended the steps from the platform and walked out of the room, and then they stood, going back to the party.

Chichi's brows furrowed as she saw the blank expression on Bulma's face. _Perhaps I should have said something to Bulma…but, well, something tells me I shouldn't interfere. _She took her mate's hand and smiled into his face as he led her out of the room. 

Kakkarot glanced at his mate. "So what'd you think of those two?" he asked casually.

"I think it's a mistake to put the two of them together," she said boldly. "But…I don't know, I get this peculiar feeling when I see that pair that I just can't put my finger on."

Her mate hid his surprise at her statement, a grin on his face. "Well, Lord Vegeta seems to think that the two of them are destined for each other."

Chichi was silent for a moment as she contemplated this belief. _Is it possible? It would explain a lot of things. Like why Bulma felt so strongly in her hatred for him, and why Vegeta was always picking on her._ "Sweet Kami-sama," she said faintly.

"Yeah, that's what I thought at first," Kakkarot said, laughing at the expression on her face. "But after I got a while to think about it, I started to like the idea." He quickly sobered. "The only thing is, you can't mention this to either of them or they'll ruin everything."

The brunette woman's brows furrowed slightly in confusion. "How do you mean?"

The Saiyan scratched the back of his head as he tried to think of a way to phrase his statement. "Well…uh, you know how the two of them are both kind of proud and stubborn?" He continued after she nodded emphatically in agreement. "We—uh, Lord Vegeta, my father, Lettuco, and I—we all believe that their natural inclinations after hearing about this kind of thing would be to fight destiny so to speak."

Chichi suddenly thought back to a conversation she'd had with Bulma not too long ago…

***Flashback***

"Okay, maybe I'm 'in lust' with him," she admitted, raising her brows as she stated her question. "But so what? That still doesn't make our business proposition anything other than what it is: just an arrangement between two people. It's basically marriage, minus the love and devotion part."

Chichi waved her hand in dismissal to that information. "I know what the 'agreement' between you is. But I still think that it will change into something else."

"Yeah…right."

Her friend got up, a smile on her face to balance out the seriousness in her words. "Just don't forget about that bonding thing. If that was to happen somehow…well, like it or not you'll be stuck to him."

Bulma rolled her eyes, seeing her friend out. "I know, I know. And trust me, I won't let that ever happen."

***End of Flashback***

His mate nodded solemnly, a smile on her pretty face. "Well, I'd have to agree with all of you on that."

Kakkarot sighed in relief. "So you promise not to say anything?"

Chichi smiled at him, squeezing his hand reassuringly. "I promise."

***The King's Quarters ***

(About 15 minutes later)

Bulma waited patiently as the King opened the door to his quarters and then quietly followed him in. His rooms were much more resplendent than those she was used to…but not too much unlike the kind of splendor she was used to from living in Capsule Corp. 

Her mate gestured vaguely in the direction of their bedroom. "Your clothes are in there. He removed his gloves as he walked through the doorway, flipping on the light and taking off his boots. "I'll be in the shower," he said, not even sparing her a glance.

The new Queen of the Saiyans heard him but chose not to acknowledge, choosing instead to examine her surroundings. _That's a huge bed_ she thought, sitting on it, the blank look still on her face. She vaguely wondered if she was in shock. _Probably._

She patted the royal blue comforter and rubbed the silky material between her fingers, a small smile on her face. _He has good taste,_ she found herself thinking. Her smile wavered slightly and she stood up, looking elsewhere. There was a clothes rack to one side of the room with woman's clothes hanging from it. Bulma walked over there slowly, her skirts swishing in the silence of the room. She examined the clothes, a frown on her face as a memory came into the haze of her thoughts. _These are the clothes that Tatiana made_. The foreign girl had been right: the clothes were very beautiful. _And they'd need to be since you're a Queen now,_ a voice in her mind told her. Bulma winced and looked away from the rich fabrics, a part of her mind still refusing to believe that was true. Crossing the room, she sat back down on the bed to wait for her new mate.

*** ***

Vegeta sighed, tilting his head back to let the water pour down his chest, his eyes closed. He only hoped that during this time, his mate was coming out of whatever strange human mood she was in, and coming to her senses. Their joining would be much simpler if she was cooperative and the mood he sensed from her that night…wasn't exactly cooperative or uncooperative. It was more apathetic. The King adjusted the water temperature as he thought back to their ceremony.

***Flashback (A day before The Ceremony) ***

"This is a lot better than the stuff they were serving at that meeting yesterday," Lord Vegeta commented, gesturing in the direction of their loin chops.

Vegeta nodded absently, his thoughts elsewhere.

His father turned to Bulma, who had finished eating a while ago. "Are you ready for the ceremony tomorrow?"

The human female's eyes flashed quickly some unreadable emotion for a second, and then she nodded solemnly. "Yes, the dressmaker has given me the dress and says she finished all of my other clothes." She glanced at her fiancée for a moment before returning her gaze to his father a smile on her face. "It's only a matter of getting used to being called 'Your Majesty' instead of 'hey you,'" she joked.

Kakkarot chuckled at her statement. "You'll get used to it easily enough," he said comfortingly.

Bulma smiled slightly. "I hope so."

Lord Vegeta glanced at his offspring, a mischievous gleam in his eyes as he spoke. "Who knows? Maybe after a while you'll grow to like it."

The female shrugged, her thoughts drifting.

Vegeta frowned at his father, wondering what the too casually spoken statement was hinting at. 

"After all," the older Saiyan continued, not paying his son any attention. "My son isn't quite as bad as he makes himself out to be."

"Would you, for once, just shut the hell up old man," the King growled in irritation.

Bulma smiled slightly at Lord Vegeta, disbelief in her voice as she spoke in an especially low voice to the Saiyan sitting beside her. "I find that hard to believe," she said so softly that he was the only one who heard her.

"Wait and see," he said aloud, chuckling.

***(The Next Day)***

Vegeta felt his heartbeat accelerate ever so slightly as he saw her for the first time that day, and he unconsciously wondered why it was that this woman could look attractive in anything, be it sweatpants and a T-shirt or dressed as formally as she was that day. His future mate wore a deep, royal blue sleeveless dress that was tight in the bodice and then belled out into long, shimmering skirts. She wore matching gloves and a deep blue sapphire at her throat and wore her hair down in curls.

She met his gaze and he felt his muscles stiffen slightly as he saw that blank expression on her face as she placed a hand on his arm.

He made his muscles relax as he led her up the steps to the ceremony head.

Sal nodded his sandy head at them before opening an ancient book and reading from it in the Old Tongue for what seemed like forever. Vegeta only half-listened, his sense attuned to the female at his side, who seemed somehow detached from the entire occurrence. He turned his head as he sensed it was about time for his involvement in the ceremony.

"King Vegeta," Sal said solemnly. "Will you protect your mate, Bulma's honor as you protect your own and will you see that all of her needs are met?"

Vegeta's expression was somber. "I will," he said gruffly.

Sal nodded at him, pouring wine into a goblet. "Then please drink from this goblet."

The King took a quick sip from the cup, a little relieved that Sal had chosen to use one of the weakest wines in the galaxy for their ceremony.

The ceremony head turned to the impassive female. "Bulma Briefs, will you honor your mate, King Vegeta and fulfill all of his needs?"

She was silent for a moment as she fought inwardly to respond. "Yes, I will," she said softly.

On Sal's indication, Vegeta handed her the goblet and she took it from him, meeting his gaze for a second as their fingers touched. She drank from the goblet and handed it to Sal.

The elderly Saiyan took the goblet nodding at them both. "Vows exchanged, it is now time to seal this deal with a kiss."

The King sensed her growing panic and he took her shoulders and kissed her before she could think to protest. She relaxed slightly but stood unresponsive in his grasp. When Vegeta ended the kiss, her expression was just as cold and lifeless as before.

Sal beamed at them. "King Vegeta, Queen Bulma, good health to you both, and may your joining be a peaceful, fruitful one."

***End of Flashback***

Vegeta turned off the water, a scowl on his face as he yanked the curtain open. He'd be damned if he let the damned woman's sulking keep him from consummating their joining on this night.

****Zarbon's Quarters ***

(That same night)

Zarbon groped blindly in the dark for his bedfellow and then sighed as he remembered she wouldn't be there. _She's out doing a 'service for the empire' remember?_ He thought irritably. He inwardly cursed Freeza for what he'd made his lover do. "It's not fair," he said aloud, and then instantly wishing he hadn't sounded so childish when he said that. But it wasn't fair. Just when he'd gotten something he'd really wanted—really needed in his opinion—Freeza had taken it away from him just like that.

What really angered him was not knowing when she'd be back or even if she'd ever be back. He felt himself getting upset. _She'd better come back_ he thought, a look of fierce anger on his usually handsome face.

***Room #96 ***

(That Same Night)

"Mm, Kakkarot, that feels good," Chichi purred as her mate massaged her back.

He smiled at her lovingly. "Just making up for lost time. You don't really mind all that much do you?" he asked, a guilty expression on his face.

Chichi turned to face him, an adoring smile on her face. "Of course I don't. I just get kind of lonely and I start to miss having you around: that's all. By the time Gohan is born…well, I have a feeling I'll be too busy to be lonely."

The King's guard smiled at her gratefully, kissing her. "I'm so lucky to have you."

She laughed at him, snuggling up closer to his body. "Damned right," she teased.

"I honestly don't know what I'd do without you," he said slowly, his voice shaking slightly. He grasped her shoulders suddenly, his eyes showing his seriousness at that moment. "Chichi, if you ever left me…" he trailed off, unable to even finish the statement.

Rather than be put off by his confession, his mate felt herself falling in love with him even more. "I feel the same way about you."

The Saiyan smiled sheepishly, letting her go. "I'm sorry. It's just that, well, I've seen so many mated people dissolve their joining and it's always hard on them. We really are lucky to have true feelings in our joining," he said softly.

Chichi smiled slightly as her thoughts moved to Bulma. "I only hope that somehow Bulma and the King can have the same kind of happiness we have."

Kakkarot nodded his head in agreement, but inwardly he wasn't so sure. _I want it as bad as you do, Chichi…I'm just not so sure it'll happen._

***The Royal Chambers***

(That same Night)

Bulma took off her gloves and shoes slowly and then rolled her hose down her legs. She'd heard the water turn off in the bathroom and she knew that soon it'd be time for the two of them to consummate their joining. The human female felt nothing still…except for the slightest bit of trepidation somewhere in the back of her mind. But it was mostly engulfed by the apathetic state of mind that had taken over her brain functions like some kind of defense mechanism.

The blue haired woman reached up to take off the beautiful sapphire necklace Tatiana had left for her to wear, tensing as she heard the bathroom door open. She took off the necklace and dropped it on top of her gloves, her eyes meeting those of her mate as he entered to bedroom

Vegeta crossed his arms over his chest, a slight frown on his face as he looked at her. She still looked as lifeless as before…only now, there was the slightest trace of something resembling fear in her eyes. _What the hell is she afraid of? She's acting as though we've never done this before,_ he thought irritably.

Bulma stood and coolly reached back and unzipped her dress so that it fell into a puddle around her ankles, leaving her completely nude. She met his gaze and walked toward him, her eyes full of conviction as she moved to complete their mission for that night.

The King was too surprised to do anything just then, his eyes flashed with surprise and then desire as he watched her approach him, her beautifully curled blue hair framing her face.

His mate stood before him and put her arms around his neck, pressing her bare breasts to his chest and kissed him with a passion that surprised him. Vegeta found himself responding to her in spite of a part of his mind that advised him that this was all a bad idea. He allowed the female to press his back against the wall and realized with amusement that she had taken off the towel that had been wrapped around his waist. He couldn't deny that the fiery blue-haired female aroused him, but common sense told him this was wrong. For some reason, the woman was not acting as she normally would. So, as her hands move down toward his ready and willing member, he stopped her, breaking their contact abruptly.

Bulma tried to embrace him again, but he kept her back. "I don't know what the hell is wrong with you, woman, but I refuse to take advantage of the fact that you are not fully conscious of what you're doing," he told her, irritation on his face.

Something happened then: a light came on in her eyes and Bulma was back to her senses. She shuddered suddenly as she realized what she'd just done, turning from Vegeta to hide the flush on her cheeks.

_It's about fucking time,_ Vegeta thought, relieved as he realized she was back to normal. He begrudgingly pulled on some shorts to ease her discomfort. "Your clothes are over there," he told her.

She nodded walking toward the clothes rack. The female quickly found a nightgown and pulled it on, along with some underwear for modesty's sake. She stood by the rack for a while, not really wanting to get in bed, but knowing full well that she'd have to sooner or later. _This was your decision Bulma, now follow through with it, _she told herself. Bulma turned to find that the King's eyes were on her and she blushed slightly. "What?" she blurted unthinkingly. 

He raised his brows, crossing his arms over his bare, muscled chest. "I'm the one who should be asking you that: as in, what the hell was that all about?"

Bulma winced. "I…I guess I was having difficulty accepting that this was really happening," she admitted slowly. 

Vegeta frowned. "And what brought you around?" he asked curiously.

She shrugged, blinking innocently. "I don't know," she lied. As if she was going to tell him the truth. That his unselfish act had made her realize…that maybe, just maybe this wouldn't all be as bad as she thought. It could even be an enjoyable experience. "Are we still going to…go through with this?"

The Saiyan King frowned and finally shook his head. "Perhaps it'd be best to go through with this another night."

Bulma smiled slightly in gratitude before getting into bed. "Well, if you don't mind, I'm kind of tired…"

Vegeta carefully considered getting into bed with the woman and then considered deciding against it. He shouldn't in the state that he was in: he was much too aroused to sleep in the same bed as this woman and stay in control of his baser emotions…wasn't he? _No,_ he thought, turning off the light and getting into bed, turning his back to her. _My self-control is boundless. I will very easily be able to get through tonight._

*** The King's Quarters***

(0235)

Vegeta got out of the bed, a dour expression on his face. He'd made an effort, and had failed. As soon as he'd started to get comfortable, or right when he started to fall asleep, the human female would moan in her sleep or brush up against him waking him up instantly, and making him painfully aware of her presence. He put on his training gi and stormed out of his rooms to get some training. That would help drive all thoughts of that bothersome woman out of his mind.

*** ****

END OF CHAPTER NINE!

Woo, this chapter was interesting to write. I know some of you will be like, 'what the hell was up with Bulma?' Well think about it, she never really in the past had the opportunity to ADJUST to all the changes in her life and NOW she's gone from being a teacher to being the Queen of one of the most powerful planets in the universe. So, I had to do it (even though it absolutely pained me to do so). Anyway, this chapter was long (as promised) and chock full of stuff. A few little moments between Chichi and Kakkarot (he's so cute!) and Egplnta and her father (I wanted to show a more loving relationship between a Saiyan and his offspring here) and some fun stuff with Freeza (I hate writing those…to me those are some of the hardest parts. It's like getting into the mind of a madman, LOL). 

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Many thanks to SSJ Shadow who will be beta-ing for me! =) All right, don't forget to read and review! And I'll work on Chapter Ten as soon as possible!

Ciao for now Folks!

*~* Bulma16/Aisu-Sama/Claire-Chan *~*


	10. Chapter Ten

Hi people! How's it going? Everything's Fine and Dandy in the world of Claire. In the world of LTL's Bulma and Vegeta…well, that's a horse of a different color, LOL. I hope you enjoy this chapter. SSJ Shadow and I worked really hard on it. 

*~* *~* Learning To Love: Chapter 10 *~* *~*

***QUARTERS OF THE KING AND QUEEN***

Humiliation. Pure and simple. There was nothing like waking up to a glorious morning, only to remember that the night before, you had made a complete and utter ass of yourself. Bulma groaned putting her hands over her face. It was like college all over again!

A fast glance around the room showed no signs of the Saiyan King…and there was no sound of a shower running in the bathroom. _And it's not like Vegeta's one to hide…if he was here, he'd let me know._ The human female stood up slowly, stretching and yawning as she walked to the clothes rack to survey her recently acquired wardrobe. There was a nice selection…much to pick from…but what was she dressing for? Just what kind of things would she expect to do now that she was Queen of Saiyans? _What kind of things will Vegeta expect from me now?_ Bulma wondered nervously, swallowing hard. 

***SOMEWHERE IN THE CASTLE…***

"…and if you think I'm fucking kidding, be one millisecond late and see what happens!"

Kakkarot tried not to sigh with relief as the King finished roaring at some underlings whose only crime had been to cross his path at this unfortunate point in time. _Gee, I wonder what happened to piss Vegeta off,_ he wondered absently, trailing the King as he stormed down the hallways. The Royal Guard cleared his throat. "Sire, if I may..." he paused a moment giving the King time to tell him to shut the hell up if necessary. "Is there, ahem, something that has displeased you? Something to do with--"

"Don't!" Vegeta broke in angrily, whipping around to face the startled Kakkarot. He lowered his voice, speaking more calmly. "Don't say her name."

"What happened sire?" Kakkarot winced as he saw Vegeta's power spike through his scouter. "I mean…I might hear about it later from Chichi later on…that is if uh, the Queen tells her. They're close friends you know."  
  


The King muttered a few choice words under his breath for a full three minutes. "That damned woman," he finally got out, the furious look in his eyes making several soldiers back up and find another way to get to their destination. The two Saiyans looked up as they sensed a familiar ki approaching.

"So boy, how was your night of consummation?" the former King drawled.

Vegeta scowled darkly at his father, crossing his arms over his chest. "Don't you start with me today old man."

The older Saiyan ignored the warning in his tone. "Heard from a few whimpering Sergeants  that you were in one nasty mood and had to see for myself," he chuckled. He raised his brows in amusement. "She hold out on you, huh?"

A muscle in the King's temple jerked sporadically his face flushed red with anger, and he clenched his fists so tightly that Kakkarot would have bet everything he owned that Vegeta had broken a bone somewhere. In a surprising (and admirable) display of self control, the ruler managed to walk away from his father without killing him, but not before cursing him out in 4 different languages.

Lord Vegeta chuckled in amusement as he watched his offspring storm down the hallway. "You think I hit a sensitive spot?"

Kakkarot laughed weakly still trying to quash the apprehension that had sprung up upon seeing the wrath in the King's eyes. "Yeah…I guess you did."

*** The Dining Hall ***

(That same night)

Bulma glanced up at Vegeta again, unable to truly come to grips with the fact that he was actually ignoring her._ Maybe I should consider myself lucky,_ she thought turning her attention to the conversation going on around her.

"There's nothing like a good session of reprimand to get those damn Sergeants in line," Lord Vegeta advised casually.

Bardock nodded his head. "I agree. Fear is a good motivator for some."

Kakkarot cursed as he spilled his drink all over the table and onto the floor. Chichi patted him on the knee reassuringly as he sheepishly got out of the way so that the servants could clean up the mess.

"That's my son," Bardock sighed, shaking his head wearily. "One of the clumsiest Saiyans I know."

Bulma frowned ever so slightly, her brows furrowed together. "How can you say that about Kakkarot? He's one of the kindest Saiyans on this planet!"

Chichi glanced at Bulma who had remained silent up until that point. "Bulma, what's wrong with you?" she asked, confused as to why her friend was taking her father in law's teasing so seriously.

Her blue haired friend's lip quivered a moment and then her resolve strengthened. "I'm tired of certain Saiyans bringing people down, helpless to control themselves and their egos! It's always the nice ones that this…I mean, these assholes bring down!"

Silence filled the room as everyone present simultaneously realized what-or rather who-Bulma was talking about. Almost against their wills, everyone turned to gauge the King's reaction.

Vegeta wiped his hands calmly on his napkin before pushing back his chair and standing up slowly, a look of great composure on his face as he looked at everyone in turn, leaving his mate for last. Upon meeting her defiant gaze the corner of his mouth curled up ever so slightly in a very unconvincing resemblance of a smile. 

Bulma fought the impulse to flinch at what she saw on his face; behind the calm front. Red hot boiling rage…directed at her. She swallowed hard but did not give him any sign of her growing apprehension. 

He switched his gaze to Kakkarot nodded once and then left, his cape rustled behind him and his footsteps echoed loudly in the silence of the Great Hall.

Lord Vegeta laughed and took a long sip from his silver goblet, the slight waver in his hand showing that even he had been unsettled by the potent anger coming from his son. "Cheers," he said solemnly raising his glass to Bulma.

***SOMEWHERE IN THE CASTLE***

(Around the same time…)

Sgt. Cor Nshuck yawned tiredly as he stood at the entrance to the Royal Castle. It had been a long 72 hours on the job and he wasn't due to get off for another thirty minutes. He scratched his bicep absently while keeping a sharp eye out for any trespassers. He tensed slightly as he sensed someone behind him and turned around to see a lithe young woman with her arms crossed over her chest and gazed pensively at the castle. The sergeant frowned and stepped toward her. "Halt right there! State your business. What are you doing here on Vegetaseii?"

The woman laughed softly as she turned to face him, her visage partially covered in shadow. "Get out of my way you. I have business with the King."

_What the hell_, the guard wondered as he made a move to apprehend her. "The King won't see you."

 "That's not his decision to make. Nor is it yours," was the smooth retort delivered in a mocking tone. The miscreant female's muscles tensed as her body was swathed in a bright green glow. "I will return," she promised, disappearing into the night.

*** THE ROYAL CHAMBERS***

(Hours Later…)

Never before in her life had she been so certain of her own doom. Never before had she been so certain of her own helplessness. And never before had she been so unwilling to fight back. 

Bulma stared blankly up at the ceiling in the darkness of the bedroom, listening as hard as she could for the sound of her mate, Vegeta coming in to kill her like he had threatened several times before. But for once, the proud human didn't feel like fighting. If Vegeta was going to come and kill her tonight, then she'd accept her fate with the kind of grace and dignity she wanted to be remembered for. 

Just then, she heard the door open and close and then the slow approach of footsteps toward the bedroom door. _This is it Bulma. Just remember…your pride._ A soft knock sounded against the door making her bolt upright in bed. _Courtesy?!__ From Vegeta?_ She jumped out of bed and flicked on the light as she walked over to the door. "Kakkarot!" she exclaimed softly, rubbing her eyes as they grew accustomed to the light.

The Guard looked away from the scantily clad female. "The King ordered me here to guard you. There's currently a security breach that he is addressing."

"Someone's trying to break into the castle?" she asked bewilderedly. "But why?"

Kakkarot shrugged. "We don't know yet. All I know is that I have to stay here and make sure you're safe."

Bulma shrugged, yawning tiredly. "Fine whatever, I just need to get some sleep."

The lower class Saiyan grinned. "Right. I'll just sit out here then." He sat down on the couch, propping his legs up on the cushion and running a hand through his unruly hair.

The Queen of Saiyans turned to go to bed but paused as something came to mind. "Kakkarot," she said slowly, turning to face him. "You saw the King's, well, uh performance at dinner tonight. What did you think of it all?"

_What did I think of it all? Why is she asking me this…?_ "Well," he said hesitantly, tapping his fingertips restlessly on the arm of the couch. "I sort of got the impression that Vegeta was angry with you."

It took all her self control to keep from saying, "no shit Sherlock" in response to this statement. "What else did you perceive?"

"Uh, well, I can't really say," the younger man said, not meeting her eyes. To tell the absolute truth, he just didn't really want to get involved in their argument, especially after the King's shitty mood as of late. The only time he would let himself get involved would be if one of their lives was to be in danger…more specifically, if Bulma was ever in danger, because as far as his mate, Chichi, was concerned, Vegeta was sure to kill her 'in the throes of passion' as she put it. 

Bulma sighed wearily. She should have known that Saiyan loyalty would come to play here, not only that but self-preservation. Chances were extremely slim that she'd get anything out of Kakkarot tonight. 

"Fine, I'll just go on to bed then." She walked into the bedroom and closed the door. Yawning, she plopped down into bed and hugged the pillow tightly to her chest. There was nothing to do now but enjoy the sweet benefits of sleep, and if Vegeta wasn't going to kill her tonight, well, there was always tomorrow.

(Moments later…)

The sound of voices dragged her from her unconscious state.

"…looked everywhere and there was no trace of an intruder?"

Bulma heard the low tones of Vegeta respond to Kakkarot's question. "Right, and I had the guard tested for chemical influences and he was completely clean."

"This is weird…" the guard murmured.

The human female tried to hear the King's response but she couldn't make out just what exactly he was saying. 

"She's okay; she went to bed a while ago," Kakkarot replied, yawning.

Vegeta said something else to him, to which his guard replied, "Thank you sire. Good night." Then Bulma heard the door open and close. She closed her eyes and quickly slowed down her breathing as she heard the bedroom door open. 

The King of all Saiyans paused for a moment in the doorway as he caught sight of his mate lying in the bed, apparently asleep. He wasn't exactly aware of what he was thinking as he walked to her bedside and looked down into her beautifully serene face. But he knew he felt a certain sense of relief upon seeing her there, in one piece.

Bulma's mind raced as she sensed Vegeta standing above her. _If he's going to kill me, what is he waiting for?_ She wondered, not daring to move an inch. It was then, as she felt his warm hands on her face that she started to have second thoughts. She didn't want to die. Not now. But it he was going to strangle her or break her neck, his hands were not on the right place…

Vegeta could feel her pulse accelerating beneath his fingertips so he knew she was feigning sleep for one reason or another. He laughed softly. This woman was an enigma wrapped inside of a riddle, wrapped inside of a puzzle and Kami knows, it was taking all of his patience and then some to keep from strangling her. He pushed loose strands of hair from her face, surprised by his own actions. As he looked down at her, Vegeta found himself thinking, _she looks so…fragile._ _And yet I know her to be as strong a woman as any Saiyan._

At that moment, the King was swamped by feelings he had never felt before…and he found their effects to be as intoxicating as the sweet smell of his Queen.

Bulma nearly gasped as she felt the King put a gentle kiss on her lips. She didn't know what to make of it! _But…oh sweet Kami-sama, why do things have to be so complicated?_ She thought, feeling an odd pang in her chest at the tender compassion behind that kiss. 

The new Queen of all Saiyans opened her cerulean blue eyes just as her mate was turning to leave. She sat up and held a hand out to him. "Vegeta wait!" she swallowed with some difficulty as she felt affection of some kind building inside her as she looked into his eyes. "Don't leave me alone tonight."

***ROOM # 96***

(The next day…)

Chichi cleared her throat, looking at her mate pointedly.

Kakkarot raised his brows. "Yes?"

"Don't tell me you didn't notice how strange Bulma was acting at breakfast this morning!"

Her mate shrugged. "I didn't notice anything."

"Oh for goodness' sakes; you didn't notice how quiet she was? Or how she winced every time the King said something?"

"Nope."

The brunette woman rolled her eyes. "You are hopeless Kakkarot."

He chuckled good-naturedly. "Now you sound like my father."

Chichi smiled at him fondly. "And we both say it because it's true."

Kakkarot frowned slightly as he remembered something. "Do you remember when I was summoned by the King last night?"

The pregnant female groaned. "I remember we were in the middle of one hell of a massage."

"Yeah, well, I had to go to guard Queen Bulma since there was a minor security breach in the castle."

"Did something happen?" the concerned female asked, her voice hushed.

"No, nothing happened. But…well, when King Vegeta got back, he was really concerned about the Queen's safety."

Chichi frowned. "That's weird. I guess maybe you and Lord Vegeta were right about him."

"I hope so, Chichi."

***Planet Freeze, CONTROL ROOM***

(Later that day…)

"Zarbon. Come here."

The officer flinched at the coldness in his master's voice as he moved to stand before him. "Yes, Lord Freeza?"

Freeza smirked slightly as he sensed the other man's discomfort. "I am in a very good mood today Zarbon. Would you like to know why?"

Zarbon couldn't meet the lizard's eyes. "Yes, sire."

"Your filthy little bitch has finally arrived on Vegetaseii. Isn't that great news?" Freeza asked, an evil smile on his face.

"Yes Lord Freeza, that's great news," his officer said in a flat tone.

"You don't sound nearly as delighted as I am Zarbon," Freeza said, his smile growing as Zarbon's discomfort grew. "Perhaps you're concerned as to the safety of your whore?"

Zarbon bit his lip so hard he broke skin in his effort not to speak out against what 

Freeza was saying. _He can't call Anyla that. She's anything but a whore. She's the woman I love._

"Ah Zarbon," Freeza said in a whimsical tone. "What am I going to do with you? Well, I know for certain that if I didn't need you for a very important task, you'd already be dead by now." The cruel leader laughed, much amused by the whole situation. "Doesn't that bit of news make you feel any better?"

"Y-yes sire."

*** Vegetaseii: THE ROYAL CHAMBERS ***

(That Afternoon…)

Bulma yawned tiredly as she flipped through an old business magazine she'd brought with her from earth. _I miss working_, she found herself thinking as she gazed at a picture of a smiling woman with goggles on operating a Bunsen burner. More specifically, she missed working in science. _Maybe…just maybe, with some persuasion I could convince Vegeta to let me…_she stopped that thought. "No way Bulma; you're overestimating your influence on him." _Just because last night Vegeta showed you a gentler side doesn't necessarily mean anything…does it?_

The previous night had been the kind of beautiful experience Bulma used to dream would occur between herself and her soul mate: the man she would love and spend the rest of her life with. It had been consensual caring and tenderness…and upon waking up that morning, the blue haired female hadn't even been sure it really happened. Vegeta's ignoring her all day hadn't helped matters much but it did make her believe that it really **had** happened. _So what now I wonder?_ _I guess I just wait until I see what move to make next._

***The Throne Room***

(A few minutes later…)

"Are you certain this is absolutely imperative?"

"Yes, sire. We can find no other alternative to this course of action," Lettuco said solemnly.

Vegeta frowned as he thought hard on the subject. "Very well. Inform Nappa on all that you told me and tell him to be ready within the hour."

His coordinator nodded in understanding and bowed before leaving. "Yes sire."

Kakkarot cleared his throat from where he was standing next to the King. "If I may, sire…"

"Go ahead, Kakkarot."

"Isn't it customary for the King's First Guard to accompany him on any trips off planet?" he asked.

Vegeta stood up and took a few steps toward the exit. "I need you to stay here Kakkarot and watch after Bulma," he said blandly, turning to face him.

His guard pushed aside his initial surprise. "Couldn't Nappa do that just as well as I can sire?" he persisted.

"I don't trust him as much as I trust you," was the King's smooth reply.

Kakkarot bowed lowly before the older Saiyan. "Thank you sire. I will not fail you."

***THE ROYAL CHAMBERS***

(Ten minutes later…)

Bulma nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard the door open and she got on her feet when she saw who it was. Her mind raced with thousands of things to say and questions to ask but she couldn't get anything out.

On his part, Vegeta barely spared her a glance before brushing past her into their bedroom. Irritated, Bulma followed him and silently watched for a long moment as he packed several items in a large case.

"Vegeta," she said softly, taking a few steps in his direction. "I-I want to ask a favor of you."

Her mate continued packing for a while and then as he yanked the zipper shut he replied, still not meeting her gaze. "What?" he asked harshly.

Bulma took a deep breath to calm her nerves. "I'd like to work in the science lab if you'll let me. I don't like having nothing to do all day. I promise I'd stay out of trouble," she finished quickly thinking that would be a good way to end her request.

The King looked at her then, an odd look on his face as his ebony orbs met her blue ones. "Very well woman," he said softly as he picked up his case. "I'll have Lettuco set it up for you."

"Thank you so much!" she gushed enthusiastically, a smile on her face. It dimmed slightly as she realized what was going on. "Are you leaving?"

"An astute observation if I've ever heard one," Vegeta drawled, a smirk on his face.

The Queen blushed, but continued her questioning. "Where are you going?"

Vegeta's smirk was quickly replaced with an irritated scowl. "I must be present for treaty delegations between two planets that want to join Vegetaseii's side in the fight against Freeza."

"Oh."

He walked past her and into their living room and entered the code to open the front door. Vegeta paused for a moment as if torn between deciding whether or not to say something before he left, but he evidently decided against this course of action as he walked out of the room and out of his mate's life for an indeterminate amount of time.

*** ROOM #96***

(Late that same evening…)

"It's great Chichi! I mean they have **everything** there. I'm so excited about it all!" Bulma gushed to her friend.

The pregnant woman wrinkled her nose at the mention of things pertaining to science. "Oh yeah that's right, you always liked that whole 'hands on' science-y crap," she said waving her hand dismissively. "So, what are you going to do now that Vegeta's gone?"

Bulma shrugged. "I imagine I'll just mess around the lab most of the time." She frowned as she thought of a question to ask her inquisitive friend. "When is he supposed to be back?"

It was Chichi's turn to shrug. "No one knows for sure how long he'll be gone. I suppose he has to stay until he's certain that all loose ends are tied up and etcetera."

"Yeah, I guess you're right," the Queen said slowly.

"Not that you'll miss him," her friend said slyly.

"No…of course I won't."

***Vegetaseii: UNKNOWN LOCATION ***

(A week later…)

Twice she'd asked someone about the Queen's security but there was no let down in the security. Apparently, the King's Guard took his job very seriously and made certain there was someone keeping an eye on the human female at all times.

"Damn it," she muttered to herself, slamming her mug onto the countertop. How was she going to be able to carry out her mission if things kept on as they were?

  
*** Planet Vance: War Room ***

(About 27 days later)

"Thanks again Vegeta. Your diplomatic advice has been key in these dealings," King Frances said sincerely shaking the Saiyan's hand enthusiastically for a moment.

Vegeta nodded his head folding his arms over his chest. "As long as we see eye to eye on what needs to be done concerning Freeza…"

"And I assure you, we do!"

"Yeah Frances, well it's time for me to return to Vegetaseii. You and Alloy will be coming to the big meeting on Vegetaseii in 8 weeks…?"

King Frances smiled. "Of course Vegeta…and then perhaps you could introduce us to your better half…?"

Vegeta scowled. "Let's go Nappa," he growled, turning to leave.

Nappa nodded his head curtly to Frances and followed the King of al Saiyans to the space port where they got into their respective pods. He ignored the rumbling of his stomach and the stab of pain behind his eyes as he entered the proper coordinates into the computer. It would only be about seven days, 12 maximum, until they reached Vegetaseii; his stomach could wait until then.

*** Planet Vegetaseii: Science Lab***

(Ten days later…)

"This particular strand of synthetic DNA that I have created is durable and cannot be denatured and in addition to all this," Bulma announced, smiling as her test subject stepped out of a pod of her creation as good as new, a sheepish grin on his face. "It can also be used to accelerate the healing process in Saiyans, or any other race."

"Genius! Pure genius," one of the scientists at the presentation raved, clapping enthusiastically along with everyone else.

"You know, she did the project all on her own, wouldn't let anyone else help her," someone murmured.

The Queen of Vegetaseii blushed as the applause and cheering continued. "I can't believe I've done it, Kakkarot."

The wet Saiyan beside her gratefully took a towel from one of the lab assistants and dried off his hair and chest. "Done what?" he asked, feeling a bit surprised that Bulma's invention had actually repaired the gaping wound that had been made in his shoulder at the beginning of the presentation.

She smiled enthusiastically as she saw the scientists pushing to get a closer look at her 'rejuvenation tank'. "I've earned their respect; I've been accepted as a Saiyan."

Kakkarot smiled slightly. "I guess you have. Is that really something that you consider to be important though?"  
  


Bulma found herself momentarily speechless as she considered this. "I-I don't want them to think I'm something Vegeta settled for…that I'm in some way inferior to all of you."

The Guard laughed at her. "No one thought for a moment that any woman the King would join with could be inferior to the Saiyan race. Maybe they thought that she wouldn't be as well suited as a Saiyan female, but given the rather obvious differences between yourself and the King's previous fiancé, you are much preferred." 

"I guess that's good to hear," the female said slowly, putting her hands in the pockets of her lab coat as she walked with the Saiyan to her office.

He closed the door behind himself and sat in the chair across from her, rubbing his shoulder absently.

"Does it hurt?" she asked him once she noticed that the shoulder that appeared to be bothering him was the same shoulder they had injured for her presentation that day.

Kakkarot shook his head. "No…I just can't believe that the reju-whatever tank, actually worked."

Bulma raised her blue eyebrows in question. "You have difficulty believing that **I** came up with this? Kakkarot I'm hurt," she said, a slight trace of mocking in her voice.

The Saiyan male shook his head, anxious to get his point across. "No! Not really. I mean, it's hard to believe that someone like you could--"

"Someone like me?" she interrupted, frowning. "Just what exactly do you mean by that?"

Inwardly cursing his clumsiness, he pressed on. "What I was trying to say was that, usually you don't expect a woman with your looks to also be so smart."

The Queen smiled brightly, all forgiven. "Thank you Kakkarot, and I guess I see what you mean." _I'm glad he can appreciate that. Maybe some of the other Saiyans around here—namely Vegeta—will start to realize that. And while I'm thinking of that baffling man…_. "Hey, Kakkarot when is Vegeta supposed to get back?" she asked.

Trying hard not to smile at her too casual tone, he shrugged his shoulders, appearing to be very nonchalant. "Any day now; it's just a manner of time I suppose before he's back and everything's back to normal, right?"

Bulma forced a laugh. "Right." _Whatever the hell normal may be…_

*** Landing Port ***

(Two hours later…)

Vegeta felt himself dragged from deep sleep and his eyes snapped open as he heard his ship informing him of his arrival on Vegetaseii. The door to his pod snapped open and he got out, relieved that he was getting the opportunity to stretch out his muscles. He tried to ignore the pain in his stomach and the intense blinding pain in his head. He hadn't been able to eat anything during the entire duration of the trip so he was feeling rather weak. How Nappa had been able to stomach it was beyond him. Yet at the same time…something felt very wrong, but he wasn't going to let himself dwell on it.

The King forced himself to walk quickly, his arms crossed over his chest as he walked past at least 5 of his officers trying to get his attention. He wanted to get to his rooms as quickly as possible and if things went as he hoped they would, no one would ever catch wind of his weakness. The only possible problem he could fathom was his mate, but he was certain he could deal with her if necessary.

***The Royal Chambers***

Her new freedom was great and she was certainly enjoying it but at the same time, she felt alone, even amongst the group of lab workers who constantly sought her wisdom and advice on their many experiments. It was as though a vital part of her was missing.

_Maybe I miss…no, that's just ridiculous, I can't believe I was stupid enough to even consider that for a moment._ Bulma gulped down her sherry as she flipped through the glossy pages of her science magazine, twirling a strand of her hair around one finger as she contemplated different ideas for her next invention. "Perhaps something, well, maybe a new kind of ship," she thought aloud, visualizing it in her mind's eye. 

The Queen paused a moment as she heard the door open and then flipped the pages decisively. She didn't even have to look up to know who it was, something about the decisive footsteps that made their way in her direction that let her know at once who it was. "Back so soon?" she said lightly, not looking up.

Vegeta found himself nearly smiling in spite of his foul mood brought about by his mysterious ailment. "So it would seem."

Bulma bit her lip to keep from laughing—she really did enjoy their banter. "I can only assume that your dealings went well then…?"

The King felt a sharp throb of pain in his stomach and he grit his teeth as he felt his energy slowly draining him.

His mate looked up finally to see what delayed his reply, and gasped at what she saw. "Vegeta! What is it? What's wrong?" she asked, walking over to him, concern in her eyes.

He growled in warning. "Stay away from me, woman." He made his way to the couch and sat down heavily, watching the room swim before his eyes.

The Queen sat down beside him and looked into his eyes. "You have to tell me what ails you Vegeta so that I may do something…."

Vegeta closed his eyes as he saw four blue haired women before his eyes. "Get…a doctor…" he finally got out, beads of sweat appearing on his brow.

Bulma felt his forehead with the back of her hand. "Sweet Kami-sama Vegeta; you're burning up!" she exclaimed.

The Saiyan winced at the sudden loud noise. "Stop wasting…time," he told her, forcing his eyes open so that he could try to make eye contact with one of the Bulma's. "Go now."

The human female frowned at him as she noticed his focus was off kilter. "I know enough about medicine Vegeta; you don't need a doctor."

"Don't be…stupid." This was said in a near whisper as the King's energy continually dwindled.

Bulma stood up, determination setting in. "I am competent Vegeta, whether you care to acknowledge the fact or not. I'll treat you in my lab. I know how you are about your pride though, so I'm going to give you the opportunity to walk with my help." She ignored the disgusted noise she heard from the ailing man. "I'm stronger than I look Vegeta. If we do this right, we can make it look like you're supporting me."

Vegeta's eyes burned with some of his old fervor as his pride took the blow. "I can stand!" he said angrily, standing in one fluid motion. He wavered on his feet for a second but quickly steadied himself. "Fine; you lead."

His mate hid her amusement as she nodded at him resolutely. "Right. Let's go then."

*** The Queen's Laboratory***

"Just a little further," she told him, feeling admiration for this man--who was obviously in a great deal of pain—who managed to walk all the way across the palace without faltering and without her assistance.

Vegeta said nothing. Every ounce of his strength was going into the task at hand.

The scientist typed her password into the computer and entered the proper key-sequence to activate an examination table. "Can you…" She didn't even get to finish her sentence before the exhausted King lay himself on the table, clearly unable to keep up the macho façade any longer.

_My gosh…he must be in horrible pain,_ she found herself thinking, pity entering her heart. The professionalism in Bulma made her temporarily forget her feelings toward this man (both positive and negative). She quickly washed her hands and put on a pair of sterile gloves, standing so that she was looking into the face of the pale, unconscious Saiyan. _Whether he realizes it or not, he's trusting me with his life. Now's my chance to show him what kind of woman I really am. _

** ** **

_"Sire!"___

_Vegeta turned, raising his brows as he heard the urgency in Kakkarot's voice. "What is it?"_

_The younger man gave the one knee bow of submission. "It-it's Bulma sire. The Queen, something terrible has happened."_

_The wavering in his voice made Vegeta wonder how terrible it could really be. "What is it?" he demanded, a scowl on his face. "Stop screwing around and tell me Kakkarot!"_

_The Guard stood then and met the King's gaze, his eyes having a haunted look. "You have to see for yourself," he said softly. "Go to her. She's waiting for you."_

_Vegeta felt a chill in his spine as Kakkarot disappeared right in front of his eyes. There was definitely something amiss here. As far as he knew, the younger Saiyan hadn't mastered that skill yet. _

_"…Vegeta…"_

_It was Bulma. The King followed the whispered voice, his mind devoid of all thoughts except one; he had to see the terrible thing Kakkarot had seemed afraid to say._

_"Vegeta…Vegeta." Her voice was beginning to sound more alarmed now so Vegeta quickened his footsteps. _

_And then he was there; at last. He walked into his quarters, his mind not registering the fact that nothing was as it should be. The Saiyan took a deep breath as he quickly swept through the living room and opened the door to the dimly lit bedroom._

_"Vegeta," Bulma said softly from where she lay on the bed._

_"Bulma," he got out stand at her bedside and looking down into her face. He inadvertently took a step back at what he saw._

_Anyla sat up slowly. "Just wait Vegeta. In time I will get you where it hurts, just like you got me, and when I do your suffering will know no bounds."_

** ** **

Vegeta jerked a couple of times on the examination table, a scowl on his face as he made unintelligible noises in his unconscious state. Bulma continued working after making sure the Saiyan male was done moving. She'd been working non-stop on him for the past 5 hours, doing lab tests, setting up his IV's, and bringing down his fever while making sure to keep the King's condition a secret from everyone, though she was sure people in the main lab were wondering why she'd been requesting so much medical equipment.

Bulma set up the bedrails and yawned as she ran her fingers through her unruly locks. She wanted to sit in her rolling chair for a moment and nap, but she needed to check the blood sample under the microscope before it was too late.

She switched the machine on and flipped it to the highest objective and peered through the lens at her prepared slide. "Hmm...well, let's see if I did this right. Ah ha, here we go. I can see the cells from the sample and they appear to be a little dehydrated, but they also appear to be…lysed…by something with mutagenic properties. But…that couldn't be true unless...." Bulma trailed off leaning back in her chair as she realized what must have happened. "Oh Kami; Vegeta's been poisoned!"

*** ***

End of LTL10

So what'd you think? Review, review, review and when you're done, review some more! I really want to know what you guys think about this! Okay, so if you have any questions, comments, requests, etc drop me a line! I'm always happy to oblige, LOL. Okay, I'm going to upload this now before I forget. Everyone have a *GREAT* Spring Break! And I'll update…uh, before school's out I promise, LOL.

Ciao for now folks!

*Bulma16/Claire


	11. Chapter Eleven

Hi Everyone! Claire here bringing you the very next action packed chapter of Learning to Love! Many thanks to those who reviewed and emailed me! I can never thank you enough! So, in honor of you all, this chapter is extra special, LOL. My beta-reader and I enjoyed it and I hope you will too. 

1,001 thank you's to Super Saiyan Shadow! Thanks so much for all of your help!

Learning to Love: Chapter Eleven

*** The Queen's Laboratory ***

"Dear God," Malachite uttered as he peered into the microscope. "You are right, Your Highness. I can have a toxicology team identify specifically what this is if you'd like."

Bulma chewed her bottom lip thoughtfully as she considered this option. "That should work, as long as they can be discreet about this."

Her quirky lab assistant guffawed as he grabbed his clipboard and the blood sample; nearly leaping out of Bulma's chair. "Are you kidding? We're all terrified as to what the King would do if he ever found out we had spilled the beans to anyone." He grinned at Bulma as he walked out of her office, whistling.

The Queen yawned as she shut off her microscope and put her hands in her lab coat pockets. _I have **never** been so exhausted in my entire life. And all this for that stupid, overly proud Saiyan._

She grinned ruefully as she walked over to where Vegeta lay hooked up to an IV, a slight frown on his face. According to the machine readouts, his body was 78% toxin free. _So he should be waking up and feeling better soon. Back to his old self._ Bulma put the back of her hand on his forehead. _His temperature is back to normal…for a Saiyan. _Her hand strayed from the King's forehead down to his high cheekbones and Bulma felt her heart melt as Vegeta unconsciously turned his face toward her hand. _A shame he wont' be this cuddly forever,_ she thought, laughing softly as her fingertips brushed his closed lids.

"Your Highness."

Bulma turned quickly, her cheeks flushing pink. "Yes?"

Malachite didn't seem to notice her discomfort. "Toxicology has identified a specific compound in the poison, ethidium bromide, which as you know is responsible for the slight mutation in Vegeta's cells, and if he wasn't a Saiyan, well, he'd probably develop cancer and have a lowered immune system and all that jazz," he told her in a light tone of voice, tapping his pen on his clipboard. There's also another chemical in this poison…it specifically attacks the nervous system."

"So you're saying…" Bulma said slowly, her voice giving way as she realized with dawning horror what the man was implicating.

The lab technician sighed and for the first time showed signs that he too was worried about the King's condition. "There are going to be some neurological effects which we cannot determine right now."

_Wonderful._ Bulma turned her back to Malachite so he couldn't see the trembling of her bottom lip. Taking a deep breath to calm herself, Bulma looked down on the sleeping Saiyan. "Will he be…I mean…do you think--"

"We're not honestly sure whether it will be his intelligence that is affected or something entirely different. Only time will tell."

The Queen of all Saiyans sighed as she gazed down at the peaceful expression on Vegeta's face. _This would be so much easier if I didn't hate your guts, mister. Wake up so I can tell you just how much I hate you…please, just wake up normal._

*** Room #96 ***

(That same day)

"If I had gone with him, this never would have happened!"

Chichi looked up at her pacing mate, an expression of exasperation on her face. "Don't be ridiculous Kakkarot. Your not going with Vegeta had nothing to do with this. He was obviously poisoned **before** he left Vegetaseii, or at least that's what I've determined from what you've told me."

Kakkarot paused mid-step. "My gods Chichi, I never considered that. Someone poisoned the King…but whom?"

"Correct me if I'm wrong wonderful, but isn't that your job to figure out?" she said, gently mocking him.

He grinned at her, sitting down on the couch beside her. "Yeah. I guess I should try to calm down and think about this very carefully."

Chichi patted him reassuringly on the knee. "Well, you know what they say about two heads being better than one."

"Huh? Oh! I see, you want me to get together with other people on this. Wow Chichi, I keep thinking to myself how lucky I am to have someone like you in my life."

She gave him an affectionate peck on the cheek. "And don't you forget it mister," she teased.

*** Back in the Lab…***

(A few hours later)

Bulma's head jerked as she heard the rustling of sheets from her patient's bed. _At last!_ She thought, feeling a bit of the weight lifting from her shoulders. At least now he was conscious. She walked over to him a bit hesitantly, noting that he sat up rather slowly a look of irritation beginning to dawn on his face.

"Vegeta, you're finally awake. How are you feeling," she asked softly so as not to startle him.

He looked up at the sound of her voice and frowned as he realized what she was about. "Remove this shit from my arm."

The human female frowned in confusion. She wasn't quite sure whether to chalk up Vegeta's asshole tendencies to his annoyance at having been injured or to the fact that maybe…well, maybe there was something wrong with him. "Do you know who you are Vegeta?" she asked him slowly, nearing his side.

The Saiyan male gave her a look of disgust though for a moment there was confusion mirrored in his orbs. "Of course…I am Vegeta, the Prince of all Saiyans, and future ruler of Vegetaseii."

_Oh dear Kami, why does it have to be this way?_ Bulma had to count to ten and close her eyes for a brief moment so that Vegeta did not see the alarm in her expression. "All right then, what's the last thing you remember?"

Vegeta snarled at her angrily. "Who are you to question **me**, woman?"

"You don't remember me." It was not a question. "I'm Bulma Briefs. I'm a lab technician, and I'm…I am your fiancée."

The Saiyan's face momentarily mirrored his surprise at her statement. "You?" he said roughly, giving her a once over. Once he was done his expression hardened. "You?" he said again as if the very thought of being engaged to her unsettled him.

Bulma held his gaze proudly. "Yes, me and if you don't like it, then that's too damn bad. You're not exactly a prime catch." Remembering her professionalism, she removed the IVs from his arm so that he could move about freely. "Vegeta, as your care provider I am obligated to inform you that you have lost a substantial amount of your memory. Malachite and I will--"

He held a hand up to silence her, his brows furrowed as he contemplated something she said. "I've lost memory? How is that possible?" he asked her slowly, uncertainty in his voice.

She felt a stab of sympathy for him. Kami knows, it wasn't his fault he was in this position, and it had to be less than desirable to depend on someone you did not know. "You are the King of Vegetaseii. I can ask your father to come in and attest to the fact if you like."

 He shook his head. "I will not have him see my…like this."

His mate sighed. "In order to regain your memory, you have to be constantly surrounded by things and people you are familiar with so that your brain will have the chance to make the proper connections. Therefore, as someone you knew before this incident, I am going to stay with you at all times and make sure of this."

Vegeta stood up shrugging his shoulders in an attempt to appear nonchalant. "Do as you will, then."

For some reason, seeing Vegeta like this, still so vulnerable, made her feel more compassionate toward the man. _He doesn't deserve this…well, maybe he does, but I still can't enjoy it,_ she thought, making a few notes on her clipboard to hide the turmoil in her blue eyes.

She looked up finally, a slight grin on her features. "Well, I can only assume that you wish your memory loss to remain a secret. The first person you'll have to fool is Kakkarot. He's your Royal Guard."

Vegeta sniffed disdainfully. "That idiot is my Guard? It's no wonder I'm in this mess with that low classed garbage under my employ."

"You are the one that gave him the position," Bulma reminded him as she paged the Saiyan under discussion. The King had no more snide remarks after this bit of information was given to him.

A few moments later and an anxious looking Kakkarot appeared. His eyes widened as he saw the scowling King staring at him. "Your Highness, you are well! This is good news."

Bulma gave Vegeta a reassuring nod as she saw him hesitate for the slightest moment before responding. "Of course I'm well, Kakkarot. I am the leader of all Saiyans, not some simpering weakling." His brows lowered as he continued. "Where are…where are my other advisors?"

The younger didn't seem to notice anything amiss in the King's tone. "They hold counsel now, sire. Lord Vegeta expressed his desire earlier that you attend, but I made your excuses."

"So no one knows but you…" Vegeta said pensively.

Bulma broke in before Kakkarot could respond. "There are a select few in the lab who know, but none that would breathe a word of this information for fear of forfeiting their lives." She paused as she heard his grunt of approval. "Perhaps you'd like to return to our rooms now…?"

"Very well, woman."

The exhausted scientist turned off her lab equipment and followed the two Saiyan men outside. "That's all for now Kakkarot. Thank you."

He nodded at her. "Sure thing Bulma, oops, I mean Your--"

"Never mind, Kakkarot," she interrupted loudly. "Just go." Once he was gone she returned her attention to the sullen man standing before her with his arms crossed over his bare, muscled chest. "This way then," she said, tearing her eyes away from his perfect body.

*** Somewhere on Vegetaseii***

(A week later)

_Damn. I have failed_ she thought angrily to herself as she heard a drunken lab technician chattering amiably to a houseplant about how he had seen the King taken aback by a powerful toxin. "We don't know where it's from or what it really is, or even who did it," he whispered to the half-dead ivy in confidence.

_Stupid fool,_ she thought irritably, blasting the intoxicated individual with a ray from her left palm. As far as she was concerned, she had just done Vegetaseii, and the houseplant, a favor. Once she completed her mission however, she would be as hero; a living legend! She licked her pink lips eagerly as she slipped around a corner unnoticed and disappeared into the shadows. _Soon._

*** The Royal Chambers***

(2 days later)

** A side note:

_It had been an exhausting 48 hours. What all Vegeta remembered about his past would easily fit in a nutshell: the fact that he was Vegeta, a Saiyan, and the heir to a great legacy. Anything other than that he would usually draw a blank. Once, he got the two of them locked out of their chambers because he entered the wrong pass code. He didn't remember Lettuco at all (in an incident Bulma quickly covered up, saying Vegeta had received a mild concussion during training). Another thing he forgot was the fact that he had achieved the rank of Super Saiyan. If Bulma hadn't been so exasperated with the cranky Saiyan, she would have found herself wondering why Vegeta had been able to remember Kakkarot so quickly._

**

"You've come so far Vegeta! Can't you--just for a second--talk to your father?" Bulma pleaded, her clasped hands resting on the tabletop as she sat across from her impatient patient.

The stubborn man growled in warning. "I will not and that's the end of it woman! Besides, that old bastard always…" he trailed off as a more recent memory of his father came to mind. "He always tries to one-up me," he finished slowly.

"What are you remembering Vegeta?" she pressed, recognizing the signs. 

He met her gaze from across the table for a moment and then looked away again. "It was…the day before Kakkarot's ceremony. He is talking to you about being joined with me and makes one of his typical annoying comments."

Bulma thought back for a moment and realized she too remembered that day.

*~*FLASHBACK *~*

"It's only a matter of getting used to being called 'Your Majesty' instead of 'hey you,'" Bulma joked.

Kakkarot chuckled at her statement. "You'll get used to it easily enough," he said comfortingly.

Bulma smiled slightly. "I hope so."

Lord Vegeta glanced at his offspring, a mischievous gleam in his eyes as he spoke. "Who knows? Maybe after a while you'll grow to like it."

The female shrugged, her thoughts drifting.

Vegeta frowned at his father, wondering what the too casually spoken statement was hinting at. 

"After all," the older Saiyan continued, not paying his son any attention. "My son isn't quite as bad as he makes himself out to be."

"Would you, for once, just shut the hell up old man," the King growled in irritation.

Bulma smiled slightly at Lord Vegeta, disbelief in her voice as she spoke in an especially low voice to the Saiyan sitting beside her. "I find that hard to believe," she said so softly that he was the only one who heard her.

"Wait and see," he said aloud, chuckling.

*~* END OF FLASHBACK *~*

The only thing the King remembered incorrectly was whose ceremony it was taking place the next day, which worked out perfectly for Bulma. Something inside her told her not to let Vegeta know for some time about their being joined. _It would probably be too much of a shock right now,_ she told herself for the 1000th time.

"You're right, that did occur Vegeta. You've made a lot of progress these past few days," she said, a smile on her face.

For the first time since this whole ordeal, the King looked at her as a person worthy of his attention. "I remember something else," he said in a low voice.

Bulma felt something in her stir to life upon hearing his husky tones. "What? What is it?" she nearly whispered.

His eyes gleamed in a swirl of emotions, though the most easily recognized was desire. "I can remember looking down at your naked body from on top of a table."

_That night seems so long ago…_

**Flashback**

He pressed his body against hers and chuckled softly. "Then tell me to stop, Bulma. Tell me to stop right now and I will." He sensually traced his fingers up her spine and then ran them through her hair, watching her face closely for her reaction.

She was literally shaking in an attempt to fight her body but she was unable to keep in the tiniest of sighs from between parted lips.

Vegeta kissed her then, gently, briefly and looked into her eyes again. "Tell me to stop now and never see you again, and I can give you my word that I will never bother you again," he said, his voice husky with an unspoken promise of a night of exhilarating passion. "Now's the time Bulma. Tell me that you are not attracted to me."

The blue haired woman looked up at him and thought of all the reasons why this was happening: she was lonely, she needed companionship, not only that, but Vegeta was damned good looking and there was no denying the chemistry between the two of them. "Don't," she said, breathlessly without any sign of a tremor in her voice. "Don't stop."

**End of Flashback*

The Queen flushed, not in embarrassment but in sudden desire. "Maybe if you were to re-experience that it would help your memory a bit," she began, her eyes darkening with passion.

Vegeta was already holding her, touching her, stroking her as if he wanted to encode the memory of her body in his mind for always. "And if that doesn't work, we could always try again and again until I remember something," he agreed, unbuttoning her shirt so quickly his hands were a blur.

Bulma closed her eyes as he kissed her, savoring the intimate contact while it lasted. _One thing I've learned from living with Vegeta is to never give up. I don't care if it takes all day…_

*** Two Hours Later***

Vegeta lay quietly next to the slumbering female; his eyes closed yet his senses very aware of everything around him. These days he'd spent with Bulma since 'the incident' as he called it, had been something resembling heaven.

When he'd first come awake to see that blue haired female and then later heard that she was his fiancée he had been decidedly taken aback. After all, she was no ordinary woman, but then again, he was no ordinary man…or was he? He couldn't remember. But if there was one thing he had learned from the time they'd spent together (and not just the time they'd spent copulating on their living room floor) he found himself remembering a strange sensation he just knew he'd felt for her before. The odd protectiveness and desire never to let her from his sight felt foreign to him, as though he had never really known this 'feeling' before, but the feeling kept getting stronger no matter how adamantly he tried to deny it to himself.

_Perhaps it's time I tell Bulma about it. Maybe…maybe she'll understand what it is if I can't put it in words._ He exhaled softly as he felt the female beside him stir ever so slightly. She was such a fragile creature and he felt she deserved the best. _Whatever the best is,_ he thought with some self-reproach. By no means did he consider himself to be the one who was worthy of her. Truth be told, he felt as though he was not man enough for her. **But** he had a feeling that somehow he could easily be man enough and then some…it was almost as though shadow of his old self was whispering to him and reminding him of his old greatness before this whole incident. Vegeta grimaced as he gauged his own strength. _I am weaker even than my guard .In this state I am as useless and pathetic they come. I don't deserve the chance_—his thoughts temporarily came to halt as he heard a tiny groan beside him. 

Bulma forced her eyes open, reluctantly buttoning her top closed and putting her pants back on as she sat up next to the motionless Vegeta. _It was fun while it lasted…I guess I better get back to the lab,_ she thought grimacing as she spotted her bra a few feet from her on the floor. _Even now in his 'gentler' persona, Vegeta is a tiring lover._ A whimsical smile came onto her face. _I think I could love him as he is now._

"Wait," Vegeta said quietly, grabbing her arm as she attempted to get to her feet. His intense black gaze made her color slightly. "I remembered something else."

His mate smiled gently, and her voice was reassuring when she next spoke. "What is it Vegeta?"

The King's eyes held hers for a moment and then he forced himself to looked away. "Not an event," he said softly, his voice. "It's something different…I can't put my finger on it."

Bulma frowned slightly, unsure as to how to help her mate. "What made you think of it? Maybe if you tell me I could help you figure it out."

King Vegeta laughed softly and Bulma saw the amusement and bewilderment mirrored there in his tumultuous black eyes. His bare palm reached out and caressed her flushed cheek for a moment and he pushed a few loose strands of hair from her face with alarming tenderness. "You," he said huskily. "Something about you."

The human female caressed his cheek in a similar fashion, trying to ignore her heart's irregular beating. "It could just be affection…or maybe lust," she said, hoping against hope that neither was true. _If he could only be this way forever,_ she thought, her mind racing with the possibilities.

Vegeta shook his head slightly. "No. Those are not the words I wanted to use."

The Queen looked away from him as something made her say the word that was echoing loudly in her thoughts. "Love."

He inhaled sharply, his hand dropping from her face and his expression darkening slightly. "That cannot be," he denied in a tone that lacked its usual unwavering self-confidence.

It was Bulma's turn to laugh, though hers was decidedly more bitter than her mate's. "You're right of course. After all, why would the great King of all Saiyans ever allow himself to lower himself to my level, just the idea—"

Vegeta forced her to look into his face, a scowl resting upon his strong facial features. "Don't speak in that way about yourself. Self pity is for the weak and you are better than that."

That was all it took to make her eyes well up with tears that threatened to spill from her eyes at any moment. Bulma threw herself into the half-naked Vegeta's arms, forgetting all of her old hatred for the King as those kind words deteriorated all of her old hatred for the troublesome monarch.

Vegeta awkwardly patted her head for a moment until her tears began to subside. "Bulma, I don't know why I haven't told you before, but I--"

"Your Highness! Uh, Bulma, no, boss, uh" Malachite broke in, struggling to remember what his supervisor had asked him to call her as he walked unannounced into their chambers.

Bulma pulled away from the King and stood up, unashamed, yet not anxious to have gossip circulating around the palace about her break down. "Yes?"

He didn't even seem to have noticed anything amiss about the situation, so intent was he on relaying his latest tidbit of information. "I've got some good news for you and some bad news. I'll start with the bad news just to get it out of the way. Upon further investigation of the tests we've been running on the King these past few days, I realized something none of us recognized before." He paused a moment for dramatic effect.

Vegeta stood up, a scowl on his face as he realized he was being talked about. "Out with it then," he said gruffly, not betraying his uncertainty.

The lab tech quickly bowed to the King. "Yes sire. What I found is that one of the properties of the poison fed to King Vegeta was destructive to ki. As of right now, the King has an abnormally low Ki signature. You and I might be able to take him right now boss," he said nodding at Bulma. He held up a hand as he saw her mouth opening in contest. "If I may, I believe I know what your question is: 'why didn't we notice this earlier' right?" At her exasperated nod he sighed disconsolately. "Well, it is well known on Vegetaseii that the King is able to repress his Ki to low levels to mask his might from our enemies so you can understand why when I did a scouter reading of his strength I wasn't too concerned."

_So I was right in thinking I am now but a mere shadow of what I used to be,_ Vegeta thought grimly, keeping his expression neutral

Bulma glanced at her silent mate a moment before speaking up. "And what's the good news Malachite?" she asked softly.

The young man sighed. "We found a remedy to this problem. It'll fix his Ki AND we added a little bit of YSP solution which will make the King regain all of his lost memories."

The Queen sighed in relief. "That's great news," she said, a smile creeping onto her tired features.

Malachite shrugged, erasing a few stray marks from the scribbled notes made on his clipboard. "Possibly. Only thing is he'll forget this whole period of time... which is not necessarily a bad thing. A bit inconvenient, but you got to take the bad with the good huh?"

_No…_Bulma thought, feeling her chance at happiness slipping away from her. _I was so close to having things how I wanted them. He was going to tell me he loved me! _She kept her emotions in check however as she cleared her throat and turned to Vegeta. "So what do you say Vegeta? It's your decision to make."

The King gave the assistant lab tech a look that had him bowing and scrambling from the room before he finally turned back to her, his expression guarded. "I'll let you decide, Bulma," he said once they were alone again. "I don't remember how I was before this happened, but I want you to decide which Vegeta you prefer."

The stunned human looked at him for a long moment, her eyes wide in surprise. "You…no you can't make me choose Vegeta! What if I choose wrong?"

He smiled then-an odd expression to witness on Vegeta's face-and put his hands on her shoulders as if to ground her in reality. "If you feel about me the same as I feel about you then you can't choose wrong." He kissed her briefly on the lips; a kiss that promised everything and nothing at the same time.

Bulma struggled to speak for a moment as she realized just what he was saying to her. "Oh, Vegeta," she finally got out, her eyes wet with unshed tears. She smiled at him after a moment and took a deep breath as she decided what her next course of action would be. "All right, I've made my decision. I only hope after hearing me out you don't think that I'm entirely selfish."

Vegeta couldn't respond, so torn was he in his desire to be his old self and at the same time, be _this_ Vegeta, who could love and appreciate Bulma so much more than the other. 

The Queen felt a stab of guilt in her heart at what she was about to do, but she quickly dismissed it. _This will be best for everyone involved,_ she told herself, not in the least bit convinced that this was true. "All right Vegeta, here's what I think about this…"

**End of LTL Chapter Eleven**

So what did you think? I know some of you might be wondering what was up with Vegeta, but keep in mind that he is not his normal self at this point in time. Oh, poor Vegeta-sama! All right, if you have **any** questions, you know what to do. Write it in your review or email me! If you don't have any, email me anyways! I really want to know what you guys think about the fic so far. 

Until the next time!

Claire (Bulma16)


	12. Chapter Twelve

Hey minna-san; it's definitely been a while, hasn't it? I have a demanding job now, so I've been way too exhausted to write. This chapter is going to be shorter than my others, **but** it will safely remove you all from the cliffhanger from chapter eleven. Just a little info: if you've noticed I haven't updated in a while, check my profile. I usually keep that pretty updated with how things are going so you know I'm not dead.

Thank you, thank you, thank you, to all who reviewed and/or emailed me!!

Please enjoy this chapter of LTL! I'm hoping to get some more MG back up soon, and I've actually started another story.

Learning to Love: Chapter Twelve

It was the best of times; it was the **best **of times. As she gulped down her mug of lukewarm beer, she couldn't help but smile at her luck. Soon now, things would come to a head and she could complete her plan. She stood up slowly, leaving a few bills behind her on the counter as she walked out of the bar. _I must wait until the right moment. But my only fear is that if I wait **too** long, they'll bond._ The woman scowled as she turned the corner and seemed to disappear into the shadows. _If that were to happen…all hell would break loose._

Quarters of the King and Queen

(Two weeks later)

"I need some time to think about this Vegeta. Please understand that however I choose, it will be what's best for you n-not me."

Those words haunted her now as she sat across from the Saiyan, half-listening as he related his memory of a battle on Psyalem. _Well, at least I know for certain that what's best for me is not necessarily what's best for him,_ she thought glumly, smiling as Vegeta met her gaze in the midst of his story-telling.

"What is it?" he asked, concern mirrored in his dark eyes.

"Nothing, I'm just…well, I was thinking about your situation and I can't imagine how I'm going to come up with the **right** answer."

Vegeta looked away from her and shrugged. "There is no right answer," he said simply, his tone darkening a bit.

_I have to remember that this is even more important to him than it is to me. It may have to do with my so-called happiness in this marriage of sorts, but this is his whole life._ "I'll decide soon," she told him, a smile on her face as she put her hand on his gloved one. "But either way, no matter how you end up, I'll stay with you until the end. And that's a promise."

The King met her gaze, searching her eyes for something as if he thought this was all too good to be true. "Bulma, the day we found out about this…I was going to tell you that I…I--"

"I know Vegeta," she interrupted quickly, ignoring the pang she felt in her heart as she saw the emotion in his eyes. "You don't have to tell me."

He frowned slightly reminding her of his old self. "But I want to. I've been trying to tell you this for the past week Bulma and every time I try, **you** change the subject. Why don't you want me to say how I feel?" he implored her, his onyx eyes full of confusion.

The human female winced away from that look and would have pulled her hand away from his if he didn't catch it. _Because it's not right. This isn't fair that I have to decide to keep you how you are or how you were! How can I choose to get rid of a man I love for a man for whom I merely lust after?! _"It's just-I-I want to be safe, just in case the best thing to do is to…choose the old you. If you tell me you love me, it'd make things so much more difficult."

Vegeta's expression lightened softly and he squeezed her quivering hand gently, his voice soothing her. "And why is that Bulma?"

"Because I love you too!" she said, laughing bitterly as she said it, unable to meet his eyes. "I suppose to a certain extent I deserve this. I was horrible and I—"

"That doesn't matter," he broke in, taking her chin gently between his fingers and making her look at him. "What matters is that we share similar feelings. If the man I used to be can't love you as I do," Vegeta hesitated slightly as if what he was about to say was painful. "Then he's not the man you want to spend your life with," he finally said softly.

Bulma's eyes welled up with tears. "You mean that you would sacrifice your power and your reputation…for _me_?"

The King smiled at her disbelief-in Bulma's eyes never having looked so wonderful as he did just then-and brushed the tears from her cheeks with infinite tenderness. "Of course, Bulma."

It was then, listening to his resolve that she came to a realization. "I've made my decision Vegeta."

__The Vegetaseii Science Labs__

(That same day)

Bulma absent mindedly chewed on the end of her pen as she checked over the machine reports on her mate's physical condition. He seemed to be doing well under the circumstances. She'd decided that she wanted the old Vegeta back. _He's a Saiyan. He may say he loves me (and I don't doubt him) but I know that inside, it would kill him to know that he gave up his superior strength for me,_ she thought ruefully. _I can't live knowing that I did that to him. If we are not meant to be, then there is nothing I can do to make it so,_ she told herself, sighing deeply. Bulma looked up from where she had written Vegeta's blood pressure down (it was normal for a Saiyan, 100/60) as she felt a peculiar feeling, as though she was being watched intensely. "Vegeta!" she said, surprised to see the man she'd just been thinking about languidly leaning in the doorway before her. "I-I didn't hear you come in."

Vegeta smirked in such a way that her heart skipped a beat. "Well, that's obvious."

_I guess the vaccine Malachite gave him a few hours ago is starting to work. Which means that soon…_Bulma slowly got to her feet, feeling dread start to sink in. _Soon he'll be back to his old self. It's for the best,_ she told herself, wishing she could believe that.

He walked toward her slowly, never breaking their eye contact. "What are you up to?" he asked in the light tones of "Amnesia Vegeta."

His mate forced a smile as she put her pen in her pocket and tapped his medical reports with one clammy, almost imperceptibly trembling hand. "Just making sure everything's going as we planned." His nearness was making her slightly nervous. "You're still feeling okay, right? You're not experiencing any side effects?" she asked, tearing her eyes from his and looking back down at his charts instead. Anything to keep him from being able to see the regret in her eyes.

"Actually, that's what I came to talk to you about," Vegeta said, his tone dead serious.

Bulma looked back up again in alarm, surprised to see the somber expression on his face. "What's wrong? What side effects are you experiencing?" she asked anxiously, putting down his files and starting to look for her medical bag. "I'm no doctor, but I know a thing or two about medicine."

"Fever," he said, suddenly right in front of her. Bulma gasped and leaned against the edge of her desk in surprise. Vegeta's smirk was back in full effect. "What are you going to do to cure me?" the King said seductively, putting his arms on both sides of her so that she had no escape.

"V-Vegeta," she protested, her blue eyes wide in alarm. Her head bumped the cold steel wall behind her and her knees were shaking as she groped frantically on her desktop for something-anything-to help her out of this situation.

Her patient easily caught her hands in his and pinned them against the wall, his eyes alight with what the human scientist could only describe as animal lust. "It would seem my strength is returning to me, which means," he chuckled lowly, pressing his body fully against hers and whispering against her lips. "There's no way you're going to escape me."

Bulma was **so** terrified that she could say nothing; she merely closed her eyes and turned away. _He's right. If Vegeta wanted to rape me right now, there would be nothing I or anyone else for that matter, could do to stop him. Why is this happening? Why didn't I just ignore my heart and choose Amnesia Vegeta?_

Room #96

"So, I guess it would have to be someone higher up if they were somehow able to get into the castle with the proper security codes."

Chichi nodded. "That's right. Now, all you have to do is make a list of the people with this kind of access and question them all to see who could have done it."

Kakkarot scratched his head. "Damn. This is going to be tough. I mean, it's not going to be easy deciding who isn't truly loyal to our King."

"Maybe for some people, but it should be simple for you. After all, you're one of the most loyal people on Vegetaseii," his mate said, yawning widely as she pulled the blankets up. "Now go away so I can sleep," she said closing her eyes, a smile on her face.

Kakkarot paused in the doorway of their bedroom. "I'll be back soon."

Chichi smiled as she heard the front door close. _You tell me that every time you leave. I really am lucky to have you. I still wish,_ she thought, opening her eyes, her smile quickly fading, _I wish there was more I could do to help Bulma and, well, even the King._

As he walked into the meeting area, he tried to hide his disappointment at not seeing Vegeta there. The King had off handedly said something about attending this meeting and in Kakkarot's mind, this was one of the first signs that his monarch was getting back to his normal self.

Things hadn't been bad with "Amnesia Vegeta" as Bulma had once jokingly called him, but they just weren't like they used to be; he wanted the old rapport back.  Nowadays, Vegeta was nowhere near as "bad" as he used to be. Some of the men had even suggested that he was actually nice. And if that wasn't bad enough, the King of all Saiyans always seemed to be deep in thought or daydreaming, and Kakkarot knew how much the old Vegeta had hated it when people seemed lost in their own worlds or "with their heads buried up their asses" as he had so eloquently put it time and time again.

"Hey, Kakkarot!" Radditz called to his younger brother. "I thought you said King Vegeta would be here." He made a face as he jerked his thumb towards the person across from him. "All we got is the other one."

Lord Vegeta laughed at Radditz's taunt. "Your fool-hardy brother has a point, Kakkarot. Where is the fruit of my loins, so to speak?" the older man chuckled. "I haven't seen him for a long time…it's almost as though he's avoiding me."

The Royal Guard laughed nervously as he remembered Bulma's order: not to tell anyone, **especially** Lord Vegeta, that there was something out of the ordinary going on. "Guess that concussing he got was pretty bad," he said quickly.

"You mean concussion?" Bardock drawled, crossing his arms over his chest, a frown on his face. "Why do I get the feeling you're hiding something from me boy?"

His son shrugged, his face completely blank. "I have no idea, Father."

"Don't let that innocent tone fool you. Kakkarot **is** hiding something, I can feel it," Radditz declared, tossing his long hair angrily. "Now out with it"

Kakkarot donned a fairly neutral expression. "Ah, you know me better than that brother. I can't keep a secret; especially not from you two."

Bardock rubbed his chin thoughtfully as he considered this statement. "Well, he has a point there. In the past, no sooner had you told the boy something in "secret" than it was common knowledge," he drawled, shaking his head as he met his older son's eyes.

Radditz opened his mouth to say something else but was cut off as they read a familiar ki approaching. "King Vegeta," he said, showing his respect as his monarch entered the room with his old haughty air.

Vegeta sat down heavily in his chair, a harrowed expression on his face. "Forget all that," he barked as his other soldiers moved to follow suit. "We have pressing matters that need to be dealt with decisively. We've no time for formalities at the moment."

_He's back_ Kakkarot thought, immense relief written all over his face. But on further examination of the Saiyan ruler, he found himself wondering under what circumstances. On more than one occasion, he'd witnessed that familiar look of elation on the Queen's face as she spoke with the new, "Amnesia Vegeta" (though whether **she** actually knew of her happiness at that time was unknown to him).

_"I don't think I could blame her if she wanted to keep Vegeta as he is now forever," _Chichi had confided in him one day. _"I mean, it was pretty far-fetched to believe she could stay in love with him the way he was: rude, crude, and mean as hell."_

But Bulma had been in love/lust with the King as he had been; of that much, his mate was certain (though she didn't seem particularly happy with the knowledge of this). As his fellow Saiyans discussed key issues around him (like how they were going to expand their technology department and offer incentives for skilled technicians to work on Vegetaseii), the Royal Guard found himself wondering as he chanced looking at his currently silent, sullen looking monarch, what it would take for Bulma to realize she and the King were obviously made for each other. And more importantly: _when will Vegeta figure it out?_

The Queen's Laboratory

(A few minutes later)

Bulma clutched the pillow as tightly to her chest as a drowning man would clutch a life preserver, staring blankly at a spot on the floor as her mind raced with questions. _Why didn't he just do what he said he could do? Not that I wanted him to, but still this is just so confusing that I don't know what to think or how to feel about Vegeta anymore, _she thought morosely, her cerulean narrowing in confusion.

FLASHBACK

"I could do whatever I want to you and no one could stop me," he'd said in an amused tone as he opened her lab jacket revealing a plain black jumpsuit.

Bulma pushed against him as forcibly as she could, her lab coat flapping about her. "Vegeta don't!" she said, wishing she hadn't been so stupid as to follow her heart.

Vegeta paused a moment a frown on his face and the lust in his eyes diminishing slightly as he met her teary gaze. "You can't tell me you don't want this," he said incredulously.

"No, not like this, with you--" she closed her mouth as she felt sobs quickly working their way up her throat.

It was as though someone had flicked off a light switch. Just that quickly, the King was back to his regular aloof, cold self, walking away from her with his arms crossed over his chest.

His mate watched him go, tears finally running down her face. She wiped them away angrily, straightening her clothes and warily keeping an eye on his retreating back.

As if he felt her gaze following him, the King stopped in his tracks with the air of someone who was inwardly debating on whether or not to say a particular thing.

For a moment, Bulma almost forgot that this was not the man she had been so close to for the past few days. "Vegeta," she said hesitantly, taking a step in his direction.

He didn't move to look at her and when he spoke, it was so softly that the Queen wasn't even sure she had actually heard anything. "I am sorry."

And with that he was gone.

END OF FLASHBACK

_Even this behavior isn't really like the old Vegeta. It's as though…his primal instincts are taking control of him or something,_ she thought, pulling her knees up to her chest. _There has to be some explanation…maybe I should ask Kakkarot. But maybe it's just the simple fact that, in a sense, Vegeta's more vindictive nature has been locked up (so to speak) for so long._ Bulma shuddered slightly as she thought back to her near rape incident. _That could be true. It was like all of his passion and desire were taking control of him, which is weird because Vegeta has always been very good at hiding those feelings._

And then there was the apology. _What to make of that? It could have been a lingering feeling of "Amnesia Vegeta" or maybe it was something else. _Bulma yawned tiredly glancing at her watch as she stretched out on the couch, placing the cushion beneath her head. _It's only 1 AM, but I'm already exhausted. I-I kind of wonder where Vegeta is. It's not as though he's afraid of anything in the universe, me included. I guess he had some business to take care of. _And so it was with thoughts of the King of all Saiyans in her head that an exhausted Queen drifted off to sleep.

Somewhere in the Castle

(Two hours later)

"Sire! Sire, we have some information here from one of our operatives on Planet Freeze."

Vegeta raised his brows in surprise. "Let's hear it then."

The soldier saluted him. "Yes sire. The operative says that Lord Freeza has someone here on Vegetaseii giving him inside information, and that this person was recently supposed to attempt to kill you using some kind of poison." The soldier paused a moment taking another deep breath before continuing. "That was obviously untrue since no such event has occurred. At your discretion sire, we can have a team sent to the underground to find out who this spy is."

The King nodded. "That sounds within reason. Anything else?"

The yellow haired alien was doing a good job of hiding his nervousness around his monarch. "Yes sire, I saved the best for last. The operative told me that at the end of next month, Lord Freeza is planning to destroy Planet Vance in order to supposedly 'weaken our defenses' or something."

Vegeta picked up a discarded scouter, a thoughtful expression on his face. _This could be false information purposefully planted in order to bring out our insider or it could in fact be true. My instinct says it's a trick but if I were wrong, losing Vance's resources would be a costly mistake._

"Investigate further on these rumors in order to determine their authenticity. In the meanwhile, I will come up with a battle plan in case we need to deal with Freeza."

The soldier saluted. "Yes sire. I will have our men look into it." He turned sharply on his heel and walked briskly from the room, anxious to carry out the King's orders.

End of Chapter 12

This is the end of this installment of LTL! I'm having a little trouble thinking up the next part, but I promise I will keep working on it! Wow, I've probably used about a million exclamation marks in my little AN's, LOL. Oh well. Hope you enjoyed it (uh, for the most part. I know the Vegeta/Bulma encounter was not sweet or romantic). Please review! And if you have any questions or comments just email them to and I'll get back to you ASAP!

Claire-Chan!


	13. Chapter Thirteen

First, some Review Responses! (Haven't seen these in a while have ya?)

PURPLERAINDROPS: Wow, has it really been that long? It feels like just yesterday I started. Thank you very much for sticking with the story this long and I hope you continue to enjoy the LTL experience!

JUST4SMILES: I'm glad you liked it! I agree, Bulma and Vegeta are ridiculously stubborn at times (you'll see that in this chapter also). I don't know which Vegeta I'd choose! I loved the sweet one but I also love the asshole version, LOL. Maybe I would have flipped a coin…no, I'm just kidding. I'd probably choose the original, but not for the same reasons as Bulma. I'd choose him for the sex P Just kidding, gosh, I'm so evil. Thanks for reading!

Enchanted-Princess: I am happy to hear that you decided to read this and that you liked it. I understand your apprehension about reading certain stories. There are a lot of weird ones out there nowadays, LOL. Not that I'm weird ahem …right. LOL, thanks for giving LTL a chance!

VEGGIENAKU: I know! Don't you just hate when the author makes the character so blind to their true emotions?! I know it's evil and annoying, but it happens a lot in real life. Hope you enjoy LTL13 as much as I do!

CCFLEURSDELYS: Thank you! And I hope you enjoy this chapter.

THEOUJISMATE: Hopefully this chapter will help ease your anxiety! Well…more or less. I couldn't decide for a while if I wanted to make this a cliffhanger or not. Anyway, let me know how you feel! Many thanks for reading and reviewing LTL12! Oh, wait, I see more reviews down here. Yeah, I do skip stuff between chapters, especially at the beginning of this fic. Right around that point, you're just trying to make a foundation as fast as you can so you can start building your story from there. In the later chapters, try to slow things down. Oh good, you caught the name thing! ) Then you'll love the newest character's name, LOL. Thanks for reading/reviewing!

SUPERSAIYANSHADOW: Ah, long time no see! I'm glad you enjoyed the last chapter-which took forever and a year to write. I really liked writing the Bulma and "Amnesia Vegeta" scene. Well, except for Bulma's feelings on the whole thing. That was kind of depressing. But anyway, I always value your advice. Thank you so much for reading Shadow!

Deranged Medicine: 28 Thank you's! I hope you love this chapter also! P

Princess Bulma: Don't feel bad. Sometimes I have to re-read LTL to remember, LOL. Gomen. But I'm glad you still enjoy the LTL experience!

RODEOSTAR: Thank you so much! And I think I would have chosen the old Vegeta too…after I'd basked in the adoration of Amnesia Vegeta for a while, LOL.

Sierra-Falls: Have a heart? Of course not! LOL, just kidding (uh, I think). I know cliffhangers are bad for your help, but I just can't help myself. Thanks for reading/reviewing!

Natasha: Thanks a lot!

Sesshomaru is my fluffy: I love Sesshomaru! But that's beside the point. Thank you so much! Wow, you nearly made me blush! I hope you enjoy the new chapters.

NASCARGURL2436: Sorry about those long delays between updates. I try to write as fast as I can but also without making the story too rushed. I think I did pretty well this time though. Two updates in almost one month! That's unheard of, LOL. Hope you continue to enjoy LTL!

SHADOWOBSCURITY: Thank you so much, ShadowObscurity! Ah, you're not selfish. Trust me, I've told a million billion authors to update soon. If that's selfishness, well then we have something in common!

BLUEVENOM: I know, I know. I can be cruel. I'm trying to work on cutting the delays between chapters. Thank you for reading and reviewing.

LAINA: Cause I'm evil! Never fear, I don't leave you on cliffhangers for **_too_** long. But then again, that's according to what you consider to be too long, LOL.

Konnichiwa minna! Whew, I finally finished! I didn't want you guys to think I've been ignoring what you have to say, so I decided to do review responses this time. Many thanks to those who reviewed. Since this chapter is lucky number 13, I want to make it extra special. And on that note, please-for the love of all that you hold to be sacrosanct-heed my:

**_WARNING!_** This chapter contains sexual content. Not enough for me to consider it to be rated NC-17, but enough so that I feel that I need to warn the younger readers. This fic is rated R after all so anyone reading it should be 18 (isn't that what they say at the movies?)

Ahem, and with that said, Please enjoy

Learning to Love: Chapter 13

His muscular hands massaged her breasts in a slow torturous kneading fashion at first, but as his thrusting became more urgent, his ministrations became less playful lover and something a little closer to the pleasure pain basis of sex. She arched her back and moaned, but continued to meet his thrusts half-way, their bodies fitting together as perfectly as if they were made for each other.

Her lover chuckled as he heard inadvertently emit a small whimper as they both began that maddening roller-coaster ascent to their climax.

Her toes clenched and unclenched as yet another orgasm sent ripples of pleasure through her body and she closed her eyes to let her other senses take over as she felt how close they were to their final destination.

"No," he said in the husky, almost breathless voice of one on the verge. "I want you and I to be looking at each other when it happens."

Her cerulean eyes opened and she did as he said. The female was both intrigued and impassioned by the desire she could see in those fathomless onyx eyes of his and as she looked up into his roguishly handsome face felt a sudden deep and unexplainable connection forming between herself and the infuriating King.

She inhaled sharply as she sensed the final ascent, her finger nails digging into the tabletop beneath her. As they both climaxed, she said aloud what she'd been thinking the entire night-and Kami only knows how many nights before that: "Vegeta, I love you!"

As her Saiyan lover lay, spent on top of her, a lazy grin came over his usually stoic face. He planted teasing kisses on either corner of her mouth before giving her a deep, passionate kiss on her lips as the final quivers of their tremendous orgasm coursed through them. "And I love you, Diana," he replied softly, his expression as tender and loving as his voice.

Bulma bolted upright in bed, perspiration across her forehead and a look of abject terror on her ashen face.

_It-it was only a dream,_ she told herself after a while in an attempt to quiet her racing heart.

_But it was so real! It was as though,_ she blushed slightly in remembrance, _it was as though it was happening to **me**, until the very end, where it was as though I was watching him and someone else. _Bulma put her right hand over her heart as she felt it seemingly skip a beat. "What could it mean?" she whispered aloud into the deafening silence of her otherwise empty quarters.

_Oh come on! You know **exactly** what it means,_ a part of her reprimanded. _It means that-that if I don't tell Vegeta my-my feelings, I'll lose him._ A look of grim determination came over her face. Bulma lay back down in her huge bed, pulling the blanket up to her chin. _Tomorrow. I'll find the courage to tell him tomorrow,_ she told herself.

The Next Day 

"Goku, for the love of Kami, leave some of that curry for the rest of us, won't you?" Chichi said in a tone of utmost exasperation.

Bulma smiled as she watched the Saiyan male reluctantly comply with his mate's request, offering the curry around. Once he'd done what she asked, he good-spirited warrior gave his mate a tentative smile as if he was apologizing for his behavior. _Kakkarot is such a nice guy. If only Vegeta was still like…no, it's too late for that kind of thinking now. I promised myself I'd have no regrets about that decision. It **was** for the best._

Chichi frowned as she noticed the sorrowful expression on her old pal's face. "Is there something bothering you, Bulma?" she asked.

The distracted Queen shook her head. "No, I'm just…thinking," she replied in a light tone, trying not to meet the concerned eyes of her best friend.

"King Vegeta really wanted to at least make it to dinner tonight, but his business dealings carried on far longer than he'd counted on," Kakkarot announced, guessing at the reason behind the human female's unhappiness.

At the mention of her mate, Bulma flushed dramatically, a distinct memory of herself shouting her sentiments for the man in the throes of passion.

"You're blushing!" the pregnant woman crowed gleefully, relieved that there was nothing seriously wrong with her old partner in crime.

"Can't we just enjoy our meal without mentioning that man?" the blue-haired scientist pleaded, in an attempt to change the focus of their attentions.

Chichi put her hand over Bulma's and squeezed it for a moment. "Hang in there Bulma. Never forget that there is a light at the end of even the longest, darkest tunnel."

Smiling, the Queen nodded. "Thank you. I'll try to keep that in mind."

About 3 hours later 

(The Throne Room)

"So, he is the best one to consult in these particular matters, sire?"

Vegeta nodded once, his thoughts going back to the long meeting he'd just escaped from. "Though I like this no more than anyone else, Bishon En is the only one we can rely on in this situation. Espionage and surveillance are his specialty and he's infiltrated Freeza's defenses for us once before."

Lettuco scowled as an image of that pretty boy popped into his mind. "But sire, En has been known to double cross those for whom he works for if the price is right."

"I know this," Vegeta said impatiently "but that bastard owes me a favor. His honor will not permit him to go against me," he said in a tone that left little room for disbelief.

His advisor bowed. "As you say, sire. If you will permit me, I will begin the preparations for his arrival."

The King waved his arm in dismissal, his face not mirroring the uncertainty he felt within.

The 2nd Class Saiyan found himself wondering if King Vegeta was right about their being able to rely on Bishon. The man was an outcast Saiyan who traveled the galaxy to anywhere he was needed (more specifically, where they could afford to pay him). _Somehow I have trouble believing someone who would double cross you for a mere difference of 1,300 monetary units would adhere to an honor code, Saiyan blood or not._

0300 hours 

(Royal Chambers)

_I can't do it,_ Bulma thought as she lay on her back in the darkness of her bedroom. She'd been unable to sleep at all, due to the fact that she was too busy thinking of what had happened during the course of her day.

During breakfast when she had received word from one of the palace slaves that the King had left first thing in the morning to over see business, she had sighed in relief. She did the same thing when Kakkarot and Chichi had stopped by during the day to inform her that they would be the only ones able to be with her that night since Vegeta was tied up elsewhere.

This is too difficult. Damn it, even as a teenager, I never had this much trouble getting out what I wanted to say. It seems like it was so easy for me to tell Yamcha how much I loved him. So why is it so hard now? she wondered.

"It must be **true** love-not that bull shit adolescent stuff, but the kind you experience once in a life time!" Stace said dreamily.

Shawn Haze and Morgan Mol-Olly looked at each other and then burst into laughter. "T-true love? Oh, Stace, sweetie, get real. Shawn, honey, wasn't that the name of the last cabaret you were in?" Morgan asked in her annoying-high-pitched voice.

As the laugh track played, Bulma flipped off her old favorite show (Phil & Stace) and turned off the TV (which she'd had imported from earth one day on a shim).

She glanced at her watch; it was nearly 8:00 AM, and a long last her eyelids were starting feel heavy. I'll just stretch out here on the couch, she told herself as she yawned hugely, closing her eyes in anticipation of some much anticipated sleep.

(9:17 AM)

For a brief moment, all reason went straight from the Saiyan Ruler's mind. Once he regained his sense however, he took a step toward the couch where his Queen was soundly sleeping. Hard to tell what an annoyance she can be when she's like this, Vegeta thought, crossing his arms over his chest. He considered waking her with a kiss but quickly quashed this idea. I can't go near her. Even now, I'm too close, he thought, tearing his eyes away from the woman who looked so small and frail curled up in his couch.

Purposefully turning his back to her, he quietly sat down at the dining room table to begin writing up a draft of his orders for Bishon. The distance between himself and the earth woman comforted him. I can't be near her…or what happened last time could happen again, only next time, I could possibly… he couldn't finish the thought, so perturbed was he by the possibility. It may be difficult to keep finding reasons to stay off planet without making her suspicious. A wry smile came across his face and he chuckled slightly as a memory of the human female came to mind.

Flashback

"That's enough Kakkarot, you needn't say any more," the King interrupted, any trace of amusement gone from his face.

"My apologies," the guard said automatically.

Bulma frowned as she looked from Kakkarot and then to Vegeta. "You don't trust me, do you?"

"I trust no one. You are certainly not an exception from that."

"Kakkarot obviously is," Bulma said smugly, crossing her arms over her chest.

The King's eyes glittered in annoyance. "Nevertheless, that information is none of your business. It is solely my concern and whoever I wish to include. You are obviously not a person I want to include on this."

"Not my business?" Bulma repeated, her voice dangerously calm. "The well-being of the planet I am working on is very well my business! It's everyone's, not just yours."

"The state of the planet is MY business alone," the King growled, scowling at the straightforward female.

Bulma smiled prettily at him. "Make this your business asshole." She gave him the universal signal for 'fuck you', turned on her heel and left, the doors slammed shut behind her.

Kakkarot watched her go in complete surprise. He turned his gaze to the King who was staring at the doors the earth female had just walked through with a wry smile on his face.

Vegeta looked away and looked at Kakkarot, a frown on his face. "Don't you have something to be doing Kakkarot?"

"No sire."

"Find something to do before I think of something you won't like," the King growled.

"Yes sire," was the amused reply.

"Damn earth females…" the King muttered

. End of Flashback

She is often too smart for her own good, Vegeta thought, not noticing the odd kind of warmth he felt as he remembered this odd moment.

27 hours later 

(The Throne Room)

As she stood by Vegeta's side that afternoon, Bulma found herself wondering how long he was going to continue to ignore her. When she awoke the morning before, she had found the room empty, though for some reason something-perhaps women's intuition?-told her that he had paid her a visit not long before.

Did he come to see me then? And if so, why does he ignore me now? Bulma wondered, not paying attention to the conversation going on around her. Maybe I've done something wrong. Before the whole "Amnesia Vegeta" episode, Vegeta at least acknowledged me but now…She swallowed with some difficulty, her fists clenched at her sides as she was unable to complete the thought: it's as if I don't exist to him any more.

(Moments later)

:And so you arrive at long last, Bishon."

A tall, muscular man with short black hair and dazzling green eyes bowed low, his tone giving Bulma the impression that he was rather arrogant. As he straightened his back, he spoke in his low, sensual voice that made her think of a sensual singer she used to have a crush on when she was young. "But of course Vegeta-sama; when the Saiyan no Ou summons, it is only a fool that would turn him down."

The King's stoic expression never wavered, but Bulma could almost feel how irritated he was by the younger man's mocking tones. "You know what you are here for, so I won't bother going into it for now," Vegeta said in his neutral tones. "I will have Nappa show you around and find you suitable living quarters."

At the mention of his name, Nappa came forth from the shadows, bowing lowly. "Right away sire." As he straightened up, he glanced in Bishon's direction, a look of thinly disguised disgust on his face. "Follow me."

Bishon didn't seem to notice the bald Saiyan's instructions as his eyes met those of the silent woman at Vegeta's side. She was beautifully adorned in a sapphire blue dress of many layers of varying shades of blue and her hair was held high on her head with diamond combs. She wore no jewelry except for a pair of diamond teardrop earrings-which was what initially caught Bishon's eye. "And who, may I ask, is the beautiful woman at your side on this day?" he asked Vegeta in a tone of joyful surprise.

Bulma smiled and curtseyed, not noticing the scowl on her mate's face. "I am Bulma from the planet earth. Welcome to Vegetaseii," she said pleasantly.

The Great Breaker of Hearts (as he was known by some) grinned, his eyes twinkling mischievously. "And this beautiful Princess of the earth is your mistress, Vegeta-sama?"

The answer he got was as cold and to the point as a stalactite. "She is the Queen of Vegetaseii."

And yet, from the looks of things…Bishon thought, his eyes half-closed in speculation as he noticed how the human female looked like the most lonely person in the universe even as she attempted to project otherwise. Beautiful sorrow, he thought as he bowed to the soft-spoken female. "As I mentioned before, I am unworthy of your beautiful and gracious company," he said smoothly.

The blue haired beauty glanced at her mate to gauge his reaction but he seemed as stoic and uncaring as ever. "Thank you," she said, meeting Bishon's gaze and feeling more like her old self thanks to his flattery.

"Bishon," Vegeta began. "There's been a change in plans. Bulma will be the one to find you living quarters and give you a tour of the castle."

What can he be thinking? Is he trying to get rid of me or something? I guess my presence really bothers him. The Queen smiled winningly at their vaguely amused guest, none of the remorse she was feeling inside showing. "Please come with me." Without a backwards glance at her sullen mate, she swept past him with a swoosh of her skirts and walked up to the excruciatingly sexy Bishon En.

He returned her smile with one of his own, holding his arm out to her. "With pleasure, Your Highness."

Bulma laughed softly as she took his arm and the two left the Throne Room looking much like the kind of beautifully perfect couples that artists often attempted to portray in paintings and sketches.

Nappa watched the two, his eyes narrowing in suspicion. That cheeky half-breed asshole is not to be trusted. Surely the King has a reason for letting the Queen go with him unescorted. He glanced at his monarch and then immediately tore his eyes away again.

Vegeta was sitting in his throne, his face as expressionless as usual, but from the rigid set of his shoulders and the whiteness of his knuckles, it was clear something had most certainly pissed him off.

It's been ages since I've seen the King this mad, the old warrior though, partially amused and at the same time partially afraid. Maybe he let the wench go without anticipating what kind of impact something like that would have on his Saiyan instinct to protect his mate. I know Vegeta is way too smart to believe Bishon can be trusted, so what could he be up to?

I wonder what Vegeta's intentions in this could be? Bulma thought, absently nodding as Bishon turned to her as he remarked on something as she walked him through the palace.

Unused to being ignored by any female, the King's handsome new hire squeezed the Queen's shoulder gently to re-capture her attention. "Am I boring you, Your Highness?" he asked softly, a kind expression on his face even as a darker emotion stirred inside.

The blue-haired genius shook her head, her cheeks a bit flushed in embarrassment. "Gomen ne-I mean, I apologize. My mind was on—" she stopped in mid sentence (and in the middle of the SE corridor) as she realized something. "You spoke in Japanese earlier! Have you been to earth then?" she inquired eagerly.

The look of excitement on her face made the Great Heartbreaker smile. "I am actually a half-breed. My father was Saiyan who had to make an emergency landing on earth a little more than 2 and a half decades ago. My mother found him and nursed him back to health, and in thanks," here Bishon's kind expression seemed to disappear and his light tone darkened considerably. "He impregnated the earth woman and left, never to be seen again."

Bulma felt a stab of pity for the young man who was obviously so strongly affected by these past events, but could think of nothing to say to this man, especially since she had no similar events to draw from.

"What makes me even angrier than the fact that he left her-left me!-is that she would always defend him and his actions. I've never been able to understand what would make her do such a thing after what he did," he said, looking down at his clenched fists, his brows furrowed.

"Love," the Queen said softly, resting her hand on the engraved symbols on the door before her and tracing them slowly, not even realizing she had spoken the word aloud.

Bishon winced slightly at the word and wondered if she could be right. His dark brows raised quizzically. "Ai?" he repeated dubiously, an image of his gentle mother telling him about his father in his mind's eye as he saw the Queen's gentle expression. "How could she possibly love him after all that he put her through?" the half-breed demanded, his voice hardening slightly as he struggled to control his emotions.

Bulma sighed, a look of purpose on her face as she spoke. "I won't pretend it makes much sense on the surface, but love has a way of making you overlook the flaws of a person. It makes you feel so strongly about them that sometimes you just decide that, no matter what, you want to be with that person. Even if that love is unrequited." As she spoke, Bulma found herself remembering the period of time where she had stayed at the King's bedside in order to assure that he would okay. You're right on one thing at the very least. These emotions I feel for him, I just can't make sense of them.

The Heartbreaker made a face and was going to remark on the Queen's statement until he saw the tender and vulnerable expression on her face. She doesn't even seem to know that she wears her heart on her sleeve, he thought, feeling a certain connection with this earth woman. "Your Highness," he said finally, a smile on his handsome face as he kissed her hand. "Thank you for your words on this night."

His kiss brought her out of her reminiscing and into the present. "Oh, En-san, if I said something to offend you, please disregard it. I was just thinking aloud," she said quickly, her hands clasped behind her back, giving her an innocent, almost angelic appeal.

Bishon chuckled, quite intrigued by this woman-even if she was currently attached to the King of the race he'd come to hate. "Do not worry, I am made of much tougher stuff than that," he said, casually resting a hand on her bare shoulder.

Bulma smiled,, more out of relief than anything. Thank goodness. I know Vegeta would be really pissed off if I was rude to one of his guests. "I'm glad," the scientist replied, trying hard not to notice the hand on her shoulder.

"Your Highness," a familiar voice said, nearly making her jump.

"Oh, it's you Bardock," Bulma said, as she looked past Bishon's shoulder.

The older man's face could have been carved from stone for all the expression it showed as he looked from the notorious play boy to the flustered Queen. "The King regrets that he will be unable to accompany you yet again at dinner tonight due to some urgent business." He paused a moment, his tone altering a bit even as he expression remained unchanged as he continued. "He asks that you entertain his guest in his stead as best you can."

"I must say that this turn of events is definitely in my favor," Bishon said smoothly, folding his arms over his chest.

Bulma rubbed the area where he'd touched her absently. "Thank you Bardock. En-san," she paused, pointing to a door with #728 engraved in gold on the front. "These are your rooms. I will see you later tonight."

The half-breed put a hand on the door and then looked over his shoulder, flashing one of his winning smiles at the already befuddled female. "Just Bishon please. And I shall look forward to our next meeting." With that said, he swept into his rooms.

Bulma smiled weakly as she felt the unflinching gaze of the Lieutenant. "Why do I feel like I've done something you disapprove of?"

Bardock opened his mouth to say something, but then stopped himself, coughing slightly. It is not my place to criticize you, Your Highness," he said stiffly.

When the human female smiled this time, it was for real as she remembered all the times Bardock had lectured her in the past. "But if you **could**…" she began, knowing he'd willingly take the chance.

"I'd tell you to forget that troublemaker Bishon and remember the obligations you have for Vegetaseii-to the people and especially the King."

The smile vanished from her face and was quickly replaced by a scowl. "You needn't remind **me** of my 'obligations' to Vegeta! Perhaps you would be better off reminding him that he also has such obligations to me, even if he would rather forget!"

The older man was seemingly nonplussed by her outburst. "I'm sure the King has a good explanation for his recent actions."

The Queen sniffed disdainfully, some of the old fire back in her eyes. "As do I." And with a swish of her skirts, she was gone.

Bardock rolled his eyes as he walked down the now deserted hallway toward his own rooms. The King really did make one helluva choice in mates. Those two are so alike it's almost frightening.

The Dining Hall 

(6 days later)

"It's awfully lucky that you could join us today, boy," Lord Vegeta said in a gruff undertone, looking over his glass at Bulma and Bishon.

The two earthlings were the most conspicuous at the table because of how animated they were and thanks to their distinct good looks that set them apart from the others.

The King had a bored expression on his face as he followed his father's stare. "Is something about that supposed to bother me?" he asked looking away again after a moment.

The older Vegeta glanced at Bardock, Lettuco, Kakkarot, and the raven-haired woman, Chichi. "Son, if you are displeased with your choice of mate, this is not the way to end it. As long as you two haven't bonded--"

"I'm not," Vegeta interrupted loudly, his voice a low growl as he grasped an eating utensil in one hand. "I am not displeased," he said again, after he'd had a moment to control his temper.

"Then sire, may I ask why you allow this loathsome relationship to continue? Bardock asked in a low voice, his dark brows furrowing even more as he heard Bulma's merry laughter joined by the smooth chuckles of the half-breed.

The ruler of all Saiyans did not answer aloud. He simply continued to eat in a cool, composed manner, trying hard to quench the stirring of rage welling up inside him as he heard the gentle, happy tones of his mate that he was almost certain he'd never heard before.

As Bishon finished his recount of trying to train his hyper-active cat how to fetch, Bulma found herself laughing for the umpteenth time that night. It felt good to let go and not give a damn about the opinions of others for once. And if Vegeta doesn't like my friendship with Bishon, he has only himself to blame since he is the one that put us together to begin with. She beamed into the face of the man she had become to feel inexplicably close to over time. If Vegeta can't appreciate what he's missing out on, at least Bishon can.

Chichi couldn't make herself eat another bite, so torn was she between joy and disappointment that the only thing that held any appeal was finding a solution to this problem. On one hand, she knew that her friend could be pretty happy with the enigmatic Bishon…for a while a least. Just until one of them got bored. Yet on the other hand, there was Vegeta, the "Pompous Maximus" ahs her friend had once called him. The rotten bastard, as she had personally dubbed him. And yet, she could have sworn that more than she'd noticed either cerulean blue eyes looking in the King's direction every once in a while or white-gloved hands clenching angrily as Bishon and Bulma laughed at some shared joke.

Maybe this means he actually does care, Chichi considered as her own mate helped himself to a 6th helping of everything. In that case, I pity the poor son of a bitch. Maybe now he'll start to realize what he's done to poor Bulma, she thought, chewing on her mashed potatoes thoughtfully.

Lord Vegeta rubbed the coarse hair of his chin thoughtfully as he observed his son reservedly consuming his evening meal, looking at no one or really anything in particular. I may not be father of the year, but dammit, I know this is bothering the boy. The former King grunted as his son's face seemed to momentarily darken into a look of homicidal rage as they all heard Bishon call the Queen, Bulma-chan. After a moment though, it returned to it's usual stoniness however, the King's movements seemed a little more stiff, as if his muscles were still clenched in anger.

I knew this bothered him, even if he said otherwise. Well, can't say I blame him for being upset. He turns his back just for a minute and already someone younger and better looking has replaced him. He snorted at the irony of the situation as he refilled his glass with wine. Now he knows how I felt when he replaced me, he thought, trying not to let the situation bother him as much as it did.

Kakkarot continued to eat his meal as enthusiastically as usual, even though he was just as curious about the King's casual acceptance of his mate's behavior as everyone else. However, unlike the others, he had a little more faith in the two. I hope Vegeta knows that this thing with Bishon is nothing to worry about. If it **was **real, well…his thoughts trailed off and he paused mid-bite, glancing at his pregnant mate who had an annoyed expression on her face. Well I guess Bulma could leave whenever she wants after the joining is absolved. It's not as if they're bonded or anything. Too bad. Cause if they were bonded, this wouldn't be happening right now.

Vegeta was painfully aware of the scrutiny he was under by his subjects in the room. It was as if everyone was waiting for him to do something to stop what was going on down the table between his new hire and his mate. That's it. He pushed his plate away from him, tired of pretending he had been able to retain his appetite during the Queen and the half-breed's flirtation. It had been a tremendous feat within itself that he had not acted on instinct and blasted the pretty boy on the spot.

Vegeta silently held out his hand in Lettuco's direction, know that the skilled advisor had brought papers for him to look over. Setting the folder before him, he flipped it pen slowly, inadvertently catching a glimpse of his mate as he did so.

She's even more beautiful today than she's ever been, a part of him said. Vegeta scowled at that thought, annoyed by how weak that kind of thinking was. Fool. Her appeal only grows because you know you cannot have her. Get her out of your thoughts or you won't be able to think of anything else, he told himself, fully intending to do so.

To his credit, the Saiyan no ou was able to follow his own advice all the way thought the first page, yet as soon as he flipped the page over, it seemed that her name was written on every square inch of the page.

At that same moment, on the edge of his consciousness, he heard the woman that was currently plaguing his thoughts laughing. An image of her as she was then burned into his mind even as he tightly closed his eyes against it. Her hair lying loosely on her bare shoulders. Her twinkling eyes as tumultuously blue as her gown with its tight fitting bodice.

However, it was not the clothing she wore that bothered him. It was the fact that she seemed so much happier with the disrespectful half-breed than she had ever been with him. When have I ever seen her look so happy, or heard her laugh so unreservedly? Vegeta opened his eyes again and closed the folder as he decided upon his next course of action.

"Sire…" Bardock said pushing his chair from the table.

King Vegeta stood, his expression guarded. "Council will be delayed on this night. Wait for me in the throne room, all of you." He paused, his gaze momentarily shifting to the now silent picturesque couple. "That includes you Bishon."

Everyone stood slowly, looking around a bit uncertainly. Such a change in routine was peculiar, but the King's behavior was stranger still.

Bulma's heart halted mid-beat as, for the first time in what seemed like a life time, she and Vegeta locked eyes.

"Go now," he said, never taking his eyes off of the earth woman. "I must speak to your Queen."

Chichi was the first to comply. She had wanted her encourage her friend a bit, but Bulma's attention had been so fixed on Vegeta that if Elvis Presley had passed by walking an opera singing green elephant, she doubted the love-stricken scientist would have even noticed.

Goku followed closely behind with his father and Lettuco close on his heels. I hope Vegeta puts a stop to this. I know its really bothering him, even if he's trying hard not to show it, he thought taking his mate's arm.

I hope King Vegeta can get this strange woman to remember her duties even if I couldn't. The King is a much better negotiator than I am. The corners of Bardock's twitched with amusement. But she'll give him back just as good as she gets. That woman is a true Saiyan. More so than some with actual Saiyan blood flowing in their veins.

Bishon hesitated in the doorway as he saw the expression on the face of his new friend. Strange…I feel as though I've seen that expression somewhere before, he thought. He shrugged and followed the others out of the door unconcernedly.

Lord Vegeta was the last to leave. There was much that **HAD** to be said between those two for things to work-out but his closed-lip son might never come out and say them. It was the younger man's way to show emotion through his actions rather than come out and say it. Just trust his judgement, his old friend, common sense told him. With the sigh of one in long suffering, he turned to leave, a slight smile on his aged face. I did not raise a complete fool. Vegeta is smart enough to know that right now, what this woman needs is reassurance that she is still important to him. Do not disappoint me son.

As the soundproof door finally shut behind his old man, Vegeta tore his eyes from his mate's cerulean stare and turned away from her as if he needed to brace himself for what was to come. "Bulma," he said, hoarsely at first. He swore, cleared his throat and tried again, this time speaking in his normal tone of voice, though he spoke much slower as if what he was saying pained him. "Bulma, you have everything you desire here, don't you?"

The confused woman nodded slowly, and then spoke aloud as she reminded herself he was not looking at her. "Yes. You have provided me with everything and anything I could possibly want," she said softly, looking away from the King's ramrod straight back. Almost everything…she thought, trying to swallow past the sobs that were lodged in her throat.

His voice seemed to soften as he spoke again. "And yet you were unhappy. That is, until the arrival of En."

Not sure what he was trying to say, Bulma shrugged. "Your guest and I have much in common since we're both from earth and he is alone here…so-so I try to keep him entertained." Bulma grasped her gown. She'd almost said: "he is alone here, like me."

"If being with En is what makes you happy…then I will have him permanently appointed here."

"What?" Bulma asked breathless, nearly speechless in her surprise as her eyes returned to her mate's back. Does this mean what I think it does? Does he really mean to…

His tone hardened a bit. "I said—"

"No, I heard what you said, Vegeta," the human female interrupted impatiently, wishing she could see his face. "Vegeta, don't--"she stopped herself as she considered what she was about to say. Get real Bulma. You should have known you couldn't make **Vegeta** jealous of you and Bishon. You've made things easier for him, because now he can just sponge me off on Bishon-san and I'll be out of his hair for good.

Tears welled up in her eyes and trickled down her cheeks as she spoke. "Th-thank you," she got out, her chest heaving with silent sobs as she finished.

The Saiyan ruler heard the raw emotion in her voice as she tanked him and mistook it for something else. It is as I expected. She has developed feelings for the half-breed. "Don't mention it," he said a bit more harshly than he meant to. Quelling his anger, Vegeta sighed in resolve, crossing his arms over his chest and walking toward the door. Seeing her right now…it'll make me forget why I am doing this. This is for her own protection, he reminded himself, forgetting completely about his earlier thought that said she was merely a distraction. The handsome, King of all Saiyans hesitated in the doorway, fighting the urge to look upon her face. "I know you can't always tell Bulma, but I do not want you to be unhappy here," he said quietly, the gentleness in his voice so similar to that of Amnesia Vegeta that Bulma flinched.

As the door closed behind him, Bulma sank to her knees, covering her face with her hands. "Then why can't you love me?" she sobbed, wishing she had the guts to ask the question to his face. And why can't I tell you how I feel, even now that you're no longer Amnesia Vegeta?

The End of Chapter Thirteen

So what did you think? I know there was a whole lot of stuff going on here. I think this might be the longest chapter of LTL in a long time (not counting the review responses). Email me if you have any questions or comments! **Also: **if you emailed me about getting the MG Lemon, Gomen ne, but I lost track of your email addresses. If you still want that, just let me know!

Till the next time!

Claire/Aisu


	14. Chapter Fourteen

Konnichiwa minna-san! I'm back! Well, I was sitting here watching The Smashing Pumpkins and one of their videos made me think of our favorite dynamic duo. And since I've taken the day off from school, I figured there was no better time to get the chapters I've been working so hard on in my dilapidated little notebook typed up at long last. Many thanks to those who emailed, reviewed and bullied me. I have a horrible memory so that kind of stuff helps, really!

No review responses this time but to SSJ Shadow who figured out **why** Bulma's new friend is named Bishon En, a reward. I've dropped a cookie with your name on it in the mailbox. Hopefully it'll reach you soon! ) LOL.

**Warning**: Strong language and adult situations ahead! That would be why this fic is rated R (duh). So don't email me about the language used here. Consider yourself warned.

This chapter is dedicated to everyone who loves The Smashing Pumpkins: "The world is a vampire"…

_Bullet with Butterfly Wings_

**Learning to Love: Chapter Fourteen**

_Bulma. Buruma-chan, me ga sameru. Bulma. Bulma!_

She opened her eyes slowly, her head still fuzzy with sleep. "Nani…what's going on here?" the perplexed Queen muttered to no one in particular as she sat up and looked about her sleeping quarters for the source of that voice. _There's no one here,_ she concluded finally as she strained her ears for any sound of an intruder. _How weird. I feel as if I know this voice._

_Bulma. We are here to help and guide you. We know how you feel about King Vegeta,_ the voice said softly, almost sympathetically.

The earth woman sat up in bed, her unbound locks tumbling messily about her shoulders. "Where…how is this possible?" she said in bewilderment as she realized the voice was not aloud…it was inside her head.

_Do not question how. You must trust us,_ the gender-less voice said in a matter of fact manner that reminded her of how her parents would sometimes answer a question, "because I'm your mother" or "because I'm your father, that's why."

"I guess I'll trust you for now, whoever or whatever you are," Bulma said, yawning as she ran a hand through her disheveled hair

The voice seemed amused by her statement. _We thank you, Your Highness._ After a brief moment the voice resumed speaking, however, it was in a much more serious tone than before. _You are in grave danger, Bulma. There are those who want you dead._

The blue-eyed beauty sighed, falling back into the pillows. "Tell me something I don't know. I think that if someone **really** wanted me dead, they'd have done something by now. I think Vegeta's in more danger than I am."

_Do not be so nonchalant, Buruma,_ the voice said sharply as it switched back to her native language. _You have done an incredibly stupid thing._

Bulma scowled, disliking the disapproving—and disturbingly familiar—tone the voice had adopted. "Just one fucking minute here. Whatever or whoever you are, you have some nerve showing up in my life like this and judging me when you don't even know me--"

_But you're wrong Buruma-chan. We have known you longer than anyone else. Your ups and downs, your joy, your tears. We have been with you through it all, _the voice replied in such a loving manner that Bulma was temporarily rendered speechless.

The Saiyans' Queen eased off of her bed with its satin sheets and sat on the carpeted floor, massaging her aching temples with her fingertips. "I don't understand any of this," she said, feeling extremely vulnerable all of a sudden. _Buruma-chan? The last person who called me that was my—_

_We understand why you have been unable to be honest with Vegeta, even if you don't._

The human female stood up slowly and stretched with a loud yawn. "By all means, enlighten me," she said dryly, not even thinking for a second how utterly bizarre it was to be conversing with a voice inside of her head. After all, the rest of her life was spiraling into oblivion, so she may as well be crazy on top of everything else.

_Yamcha,_ the voice said simply.

_My Kami, I'd forgotten all about him,_ Bulma thought guiltily. "What about him?"

_You told Yamcha that you loved him and then you lost him. You don't want that to happen again. Because you know too well the pain of losing loved ones, don't you Buruma-chan?_ The voice sounded so sad now that in spite of herself, Bulma found that she felt an urge to cry.

"No that's not it…at least that's not the whole picture. I want to tell him how I feel. Really, I do! But…I have so many doubts; about me, about him, about us. Does **this** Vegeta feel the same way about me as Amnesia Vegeta? Was Amnesia Vegeta the polar opposite of the real one or could he be Vegeta how he truly is on the inside without the super ego? Does this new Vegeta resent m-my human frailty? And how can I ever be expected to live up to the same kind of legendary greatness as any of the other Saiyan Queens?" she blurted as she glared at her reflection in her mirror, a part of her hating how very "damsel-in-distress-ish" she felt just then.

You must learn to love, Your Highness. Loving is believing. If you can't believe or trust in either yourself or Vegeta, the man you claim to love, then you don't really love him after all. And as to your fear that you are incapable of ever amounting to as much as the Queens before you, we think you'll find that by standing up to Anyla and by inventing the rejuvenation tank, you've already surpassed them all.

Her Royal Highness's face softened a bit. _Loving is believing, huh?_ She ran a brush slowly through her hair. _Can it be that Vegeta is pushing Bishon at me as a means of proving his trust in me? _Bulma wondered, her heart seeming to skip a beat.

_Before we go, we want to congratulate you and wish you the best, _the voice whispered. _Farewell, for now at least, Buruma-chan. _

A small smile crept across Bulma's face as she realized at last whom she was talking to. _Sayonara…Okasan, Otousan._

_(Elsewhere in the castle)  
_

"Vegeta! Damn it all boy, will you listen to me for once?"

The King halted in his tracks, crossing his arms over his chest. "What the fuck is it old man?" he rasped impatiently, not turning to look at his father.

Lord Vegeta glared at his son's back, fighting the urge to spin the young man around and shake him as he had when Vegeta was younger. "This, I admit is really none of my business, but I—"

His son swore angrily. "Then do not fucking interfere with--"

"—**But** I will say my piece regardless," the older man continued as if his son hadn't interrupted. "I've seen the way you look at her Vegeta, though I'm sure you imagine you've hidden it pretty well."

Vegeta growled angrily as he turned to speak to his father. "I will not listen to any more of your--"

"You **will,** damn you! I'm doing this for one reason, and one reason only, and you know perfectly well what it is, Vegeta."

It was more his father's uncharacteristic seriousness than anything else that made the younger man be silent and meet his father's steely gaze. He shrugged his shoulders, a scowl on his face. "Fine, have your say then, old timer."

Lord Vegeta inwardly sighed with relief. If his son said he'd at least listen to what he had to say, things would go much easier. "Like I was saying, your feelings toward that girl are as easy for me to see as the tail at your waist. But now that you've appointed this playboy half-breed, we've all started to think you're purposefully sabotaging your relationship."

Vegeta's expression seemed to slip for a moment but it returned so quickly to its usual impassiveness that his father believed that this lapse was merely his imagination. When his only child spoke however, Lord Vegeta could sense the effort it took for his son to admit this to him. "I don't pretend to understand every little thing behind why I am doing this, but I will assure you that my intention is not malevolent in any way," he said grimly.

The former King nodded in approval. "And I believe you, son." He stroked the hair on his chin thoughtfully as he sensed his son getting defensive. "But at the same time, I can sense there is something more at work here. It seems as though you're holding yourself back, Vegeta."

The King's crossed arms slowly fell to his sides and his scowl disappeared. "I'm doing this to protect her," he declared lackadaisically, his expression difficult to read.

Lord Vegeta's brows furrowed in concern and he took a step toward his son, his right hand clenched as if he was prepared to personally beat the shit out of whatever was threatening the new Queen. "From what?"

"From who," the younger man corrected, a wry grin on his handsome face.

His father felt a strange feeling then, as if what he heard next would be something he didn't want to hear. "Who is it you feel you need to protect that very capable woman from?" he asked in a light tone, trying not to convey his disquiet.

Vegeta laughed in an entirely humorless fashion, an expression of disgust on his face. "Myself."

(Two hours later)

Kami knows he'd been with his son through all of his scrapes and foibles as a youth (he'd even played a minor role in some of them). But never in all of his years of fatherhood could Lord Vegeta remember being so incredibly furious, exasperated, and proud of his only child at the same time.

He'd stood there in silence after Vegeta had explained things to him for maybe around 60 seconds. During that time, his son neither spoke nor had he attempted to explain himself further. What the older and (in some ways) wiser Saiyan had noticed with some interest was the determination in both his son's eyes and voice. That, more than almost anything had made him feel immense pride for the stubborn King. _That, and the fact that the baka is doing this out of his own warped perception of love, not that he'd ever admit to that of course. I only hope that Bulma is smart enough to realize that and that Vegeta is smart enough to recognize his emotions for what they truly are._

Unknown Location

(Some time later)

"Sire, I have done as you asked. Stage two of the plan is going into effect very soon."

There was silence on the other end of the Visual Audio Projector (VAP) as if the higher up person was waiting for something else.

Wincing, she corrected herself. "Forgive me, Lord Freeza, I meant to use your title but in my excitement…"

The reptilian-like creature chuckled in a manner that sent shivers down her spine. "Now, now my dear. I am forgiving, am I not? Your gracious master can overlook this blunder."

"My deepest gratitude, Lord Freeza," she said, immediately attempting to disguise the look of disbelief on her face by bowing more deeply.

"Anyla," Freeza said in a casual tone. "Fail me and know that you sign your own death certificate."

She put a hand over her heart to show her allegiance; relieved he hadn't used one of his more graphic threats. "My life for you, Lord Freeza." The Saiyan woman's lip curled as an unpleasant image came to her mind. That disgusting human bitch all snuggled up with that asshole, Vegeta. _And death to the King and Queen of Saiyans,_ she added in her head, switching off the VAP.

(Somewhere on Planet Freeze)

"Zarbon! You stupid shit, come here at once!"

The pretty boy literally bit his tongue to keep from shouting back an angry retort. "Yes, Lord Freeza?"

The lounging lizard turned in his hover chair to look at the "shit" in question. "You big, stupid bitch," he said lightly, crooking his finger at the handsome alien to come closer. "It looks like your cock-sucking whore will be returning soon. Will that make you happy Zarbon, because I've really grown tired of your juvenile sighing and wailing."

Red-hot color stained his cheeks. To have thought he could have gotten that past Freeza! And it had only been one night where he'd just been really frustrated. "Yes master Freeza, very happy," he said as normally as he could manage.

Freeza laughed, turning his back to the man in dismissal. "Splendid. I'm just glad that diseased wench will have been of good use to the both of us. Does that knowledge not please you, Zarbon?" he asked, his voice indicating that he really didn't give a rat's ass if it did or not.

Au contraire. The green-skinned alien quivered with anger and disgust at the idea of **_his_** woman serving Freeza. "Immensely, Lord Freeza," he lied between clenched teeth.

Back on Planet Vegeta

(Moments later)

"Oh that's absolute horse shit," Chichi exclaimed, throwing her hands up in exasperation.

The corners of Kakkarot's mouth twitched upward at his mate's dramatics. "I couldn't have put it better myself."

"Someone ought to sit those two down and give them a good talking to," she grumbled moving to rise from her seat with some difficulty thanks to her widened girth.

"I've learned by now that if there's something you want to do Chichi, you'll do it, but," he hesitated a moment as he saw his mate's rave brows raise expectantly. "Just give them some more time. I really believe that those two will overcome the odds…eventually."

The human woman wrinkled her nose at him. "I want to believe that too Kakkarot, but you can never be sure with stubborn wretches like them. I know because I was the same way. All they need is a little nudge in the right direction."

The pregnant woman winked as she stood at the doorway, poised to leave. "I'll be back soon," she promised.

The Royal Guard sighed and went back to reading the security reports for the day. _Women. Doesn't matter what race they are, I'll never understand them._

The Royal Chambers

(About 8 minutes later)

"Bulma, listen, I don't know what's been making you act like this but I want you to stop it."

"Oh Kami, not you too," the earth female sighed, trying to keep the irritation out of her voice as she opened the door to find her friend standing there, a stern expression on her face.

The pregnant woman walked past her, determined to have her say. "Bulma, this is the same kind of stubbornness you used to tease me about in high school. Why can't you just come out and admit your feelings? Th-this kind of hesitancy isn't at all like you Bulma."

_Don't I know it,_ the exasperated Queen thought to herself. "Yes I am aware of how very uncharacteristic of me it is," she admitted, crossing her legs as she unconsciously sat in the corner of the couch Vegeta usually sat in. "And believe it or not, there is a good explanation for all this."

Trying hard not to show her impatience, the raven-haired woman sat across from her friend, her eyes gleaming with anticipation. "Well, let's hear it."

Bulma felt her initial confidence steadily waning as she prepared to bare her secret. _Tell her Bulma! For Kami's sakes, it'll shut her up and at the very least it'll take some of the burden off of your shoulders! _She cleared her throat, unable to meet her friend's kind gaze. "First, I want you to swear to me that you will tell no one. Not a soul, no matter how tempting it is."

Chichi's brows furrowed. "Of course I won't," she exclaimed, a bit hurt that her friend would ever believe she'd do such a thing. _Especially if it's something as serious as this. My goodness, what could it be that Bulma can't even look me in the face as she says it._

The Queen grinned ruefully as she sensed the hurt in her friend's voice. "I'm sorry. It's just…well, this isn't easy for me to bear or even accept, and I know it won't be any easier for you."

"For Kami's sake, just spit it out already," Chichi said breathless, putting her hand comforting on her friend's back.

The spunky genius looked up at her friend, tears of joy, relief, and sadness pouring down her ashen face. "I'm pregnant."

The Throne Room

(A few moments earlier)

"Vegeta-sama, when would you like me to begin?" Bishon asked, raising his brows as h noticed the pensive expression on the King's face. "Is there something troubling you?" he asked, not so much concerned, as he was curious.

Anger flitted across the King's face before it returned to its customary blankness. "En, you will begin your surveillance at this week's end. Lettuco can give you a list of all the technology and resources available to you here. The Lieutenant can provide you with any briefing you may need beforehand."

The handsome playboy raised his shoulder and let them fall in a slow shrug as if to say, "if-that's-the-best-you-can-do-don't-expect-too-much". "And what of the Queen?" he asked quietly, hoping to see more anger in the monkey king's eyes. _God knows he deserves any and all heckling he gets from me._

"What's the matter, En? Worried she'll be bored in your absence?" the King sneered. "Never fear, I am perfectly capable of making that woman or any other happy," he said confidently, even as a part of him screamed that was a lie...at least in the case of that particular earth woman.

Bishon scowled, momentarily displaying some of his less obvious Saiyan facial features. The King's rapid response had surprised him; after all, the surly primate had been trapped in his own little dreary thought for a while and the half-breed had been all too eager and ready to push the King's buttons as much as he wanted.

"But of course you are Vegeta-sama," he replied after a moment. "Why else would such a physically, morally and intellectually beautiful person such as Bulma-san be with you if it wasn't for your irresistible _charm. _If Bulma-san was anything like your first fiancée, I would say your wealth and power had something to do with it." Bishon raised his brows amused at his own wit. "But that's merely speculation on my part."

"Funny, because I'd have to say it was a lot more like mere jealousy on your part," the King said off-handedly, almost as if he didn't much care about the topic at hand.

Earth's most notorious playboy emitted a sharp bark of laughter. "And just what could you have to offer her that I don't have?" he drawled, a smirk on his face and self-doubt in his heart.

The King counted as he spoke, holding up his gloved hands. "Wealth, power, influence, intelligence, valor, self-assurance, strength, good judgement, a sense of identity, not to mention, the support of the entire Saiyan race behind me." He paused, looking up from his ten fingers and raising a brow mockingly. "Shall I continue?"

"Temee..." Bishon En growled, his teeth and fists clenched in anger.

Vegeta waved a hand, dismissing the fuming half-breed, a triumphant smirk on his handsome face. He'd been letting that cocky asshole get away with far too much lately, all in the name of…well, whatever it was he felt for that earth woman. And as dedicated as he was in his efforts to protect her by distancing himself from her, he'd be damned if he was going to let that rotten bastard off thinking he was anyway better for her than he was. He was a **real** Saiyan after all, and even when "giving up" (in a manner of speaking), he was hard-pressed to do so without putting up a fight. _Besides, the little prick has been asking for it lately,_ Vegeta thought a smirk playing on his roguishly handsome face as he watched the half-human squirm in fury.

"I get the impression you're directing more than just a little bit of hatred toward me, Vegeta-sama," Bishon said softly, forcing himself to calm down (all that scowling was going to have a dangerous effect on his handsome face).

King Vegeta raised his brows in mock astonishment. "I get the impression you're right, En."

The handsome man (who was not that much younger than Vegeta) smirked suddenly. "Well, your mate likes me well enough for the two of you…wouldn't you agree? Not that I can blame her, considering how **horribly** you've been treating her," he said, smirking in such a self-satisfied manner that Vegeta would have thought to be truly Saiyan if he hadn't been seeing red at that moment in time.

_Bulls-eye,_ Bishon thought, crossing his arms over his chest in an unconscious imitation of the King as he awaited a response.

"Is that what she told you?" Vegeta asked after a moment, his voice and facial expression indicating he was bored with the entire subject, even as his hands clenched so tightly on the armrests of his throne that his knuckles turned white.

En-San didn't notice and mentally put one more tally on his number of reasons why he hated the Saiyan race in general and this one especially. "Bulma-san would never say such a thing," was his response. "But it is in the pained expression on her face, the haunted look in her eyes, the way she sighs when you're mentioned or when she sees you. It is obvious to all of those who have not been living with their heads up their asses," he paused a moment, giving the King a meaningful look that said he was not one of these. "It's obvious that you are the cause of much pain and misery for her."

"You don't—" Vegeta stopped and made an exclamation of disgust. "Why am I even listening to **_you_** of all people? Go begin your surveillance as I instructed you before."

"Hai, Vegeta-sama," Bishon said, bowing mockingly before he swept out of the Throne Room.

The gesture was lost on the King whose mind was elsewhere at the moment. A memory of his mate's face formed in his mind. Her sparkling blue eyes staring intently into his own, her mouth slightly parted in anticipation, her face framed by ringlets of azure hair. Yet…behind those eyes and in that voice-which seemed to be so much weaker compared to the voice she had once used to tell him to fuck himself-was there pain and misery he had never noticed?

"Obvious, is it?" he said dully to himself relaxing back in his throne now that the "Great Breaker of Hearts" was gone. _Then I will see and judge for myself,_ he thought, aware that a part of him rejoiced at being able to look upon his mate once again. _But I will not be spouting any emotional bullshit like that fool En would. I am merely going to explain—shit, I can't believe **I** actually feel the need to even do so, _the King thought with the slightest trace of amusement. _I don't think I've ever felt the need to explain my actions to anyone before. But this, this is a special scenario. I owe this woman something. She saved my life and I nearly raped and killed her._ _It is for that reason and no other that I am doing this,_ the Saiyan ruler told himself as he sat in his immense throne room, alone with his thoughts.

(About an hour later)

"I don't feel so well," Chichi murmured as she slowly sat down next to her mate, her legs quivering.

Kakkarot looked up from the reports he was studying. "What's wrong Chichi?" he asked, a frown on his face as he turned to face her.

The pregnant woman closed her eyes and remained silent, breathing deeply in through her nose and out through her mouth in an attempt to calm herself.

"Goku" (as his mate nicknamed him) put the back of his hand to her forehead. "You feel cold. Even for a human." He put his right hand over her heart for about 30 seconds and then raised his brows in surprise. "And your heartbeat! What is it Chichi?"

Only silence answered him and the guard felt himself growing nervous. If Chichi—a strong woman to say the least—was so bothered by something that she was acting this way, whatever it was had to be really bad. _Oh shit,_ Kakkarot thought as he remembered the last place his mate had told him she was going. "Has something happened to the Queen Chichi? If so you've got to tell me!" he said sharply, grasping her shoulders.

The dark haired woman laughed bitterly and muttered something that could have been. "Something happened to her all right. Something terrible." But it could have just as easily have been something else.

King Vegeta's confidante frowned, this time more in exasperation than anything else. "If something's happened to Bulma, Chichi, you have to tell me so that I can--"

"No. Nothing's happened," she interrupted in an extraordinarily calm tone of voice as she gazed into his eyes.

"Then what's got you so upset?"

She grimaced. "I can't tell you. I promised Bulma I wouldn't tell anyone."

Kakkarot sighed as he went back to the reports. "Well, I trust your judgement on this Chichi. I know you wouldn't keep something from me that could endanger the Queen's safety."

The former teacher nodded slowly. _I hadn't even considered that-that maybe Bulma won't be capable of safely giving birth. Kami knows, she's no weakling, but physically, I'm in much better condition to give birth to a Saiyan child than her. Maybe…I shouldn't have made that promise. But I'm sure by that time, others will know. But until then, it's going to be tough not asking her about it every time I see her. Why can't things between those two be as simple as they are between Kakkarot and I?_

The Royal Dining Room  
(Hours Later)

At dinner that very same night, the King seemed more…extroverted than usual. He spoke to all of his dinner guests in turn (save for Bulma, which was something she was used to by now) and to her surprise, Chichi found herself laughing with him, in spite of herself.

_She must have told him how she feels,_ the dark haired woman thought, a smile still lingering on her face. _That has got to be the only thing that could have turned Vegeta around this way._

Lord Vegeta knew better. While his son fooled many with his more light-hearted mannerisms, he noticed the way his son's eyes drifted to the Queen's pale face at times while he was in the middle of speaking. And though his expression never changed and his voice never faltered, there was no doubt in Lord Vegeta's mind that his son was concerned.

For her part, Bulma was completely baffled by the King's new temperament. Initially, she'd been worried because her mind kept telling her he was celebrating being rid of her at long last, but after a while, she got over her paranoia and found the change to be somewhat of a blessing. _Kami, when have I ever seen Vegeta smile, _she wondered, feeling a pang of emotion as she saw him, Bardock, and Lettuco laughing about something. He seemed so carefree, almost as if a tremendous weight had been removed from his shoulders.

_All right Bulma, this is it. I will tell him the truth no matter what,_ the simply dressed woman vowed, spearing the iceberg lettuce she'd had imported from earth in an effort to disguise the shaking in her hands.

As the evening meal went on, the King seemed to be losing steam. He no longer even pretended to find his own anecdotes to be funny. An so, when everyone-even the lead actor in this particular tale-laughed at the King's recount of one of Kakkarot's training blunders that went horribly wrong, and Vegeta merely sat there quietly, a look of determination on his face, everyone else quickly quieted down as well.

"I need to speak with Bulma," he said after a few seconds of silence, not feeling as though he needed to explain further.

He didn't. Everyone seemingly rose as one and walked out of the doors without looking back.

Bulma dabbed her mouth with her crisp, white napkin and then folded her hands in the lap of her beautifully fitted purple dress, waiting expectantly to hear what her mate had to say. _I suspect it's going to be something along the lines of, "You have two hours before your replacement comes to pack up your shit,"_ she thought a tad bit angrily. She quickly quashed that emotion. Best to go through this with an open mind.

The powerful Saiyan crossed his arms over his chest and cleared his throat. "You may have noticed that in the last few days, I have been rather…distant, from you." He stopped a moment as if he needed to think of how to best continue.

The Queen found that as he continued, her courage was steadily increasing. "I may have noticed it was a little more quiet around here than we're all used to," she drawled sarcastically, her brows raised as she waited for him to drop the news on her like a sack of bricks.

Vegeta continued as if she had never even said anything. "I've decided that it's best you know the reason behind **why** I have been doing this. I've been trying to protect you," he said, not looking at her.

"From what?" Bulma asked slowly, not so much afraid of what could be "after her" as she was concerned that something was really bothering her mate.

"Myself."

Her initial reaction was disbelief, then amusement, followed by a surge of an emotion so strong she knew it could only be love. "Why would I need to be protected from you?" she asked gently, a smile on her face.

She didn't seem to be taking things seriously enough and this really frustrated and angered him. After all, all of these precautions he was taking were for **her** sake, and for her not to appreciate that…! He whirled to face her, his eyes full of his anger. "Because I could have killed you that time!" There. He'd said what he'd wanted to say. Now it was up to her to decide what would be happening next.

"Vegeta, that was a result of something beyond your control," the human female said, smiling reassuringly at him. "I t will never happen again."

The King grunted in agreement. "Damn right it won't. Which is why I will be leaving Vegetaseii for a few months."

Bulma stood up from her chair taking a couple of steps toward him, her eyes locked on his. "Leaving? But you **can't**!" she said vehemently.

It was Vegeta's turn to raise his brows. "And why not?" he asked incredulously. "Have you some reason why I should stay here?" he ground out harshly, a brief image of Bishon springing into his thoughts.

"Because…I love you and I don't want you to leave," she said softly, her face so full of sincerity that he was taken aback. "Kami knows I fought it every step of the way but there's no denying how I feel anymore." Bulma smiled at the look of surprise on his face. "I know you can never truly love me as I love you, and I can accept that. But there's one more thing, I'm pre—"

"How…why?" he got out, after his stunned silence.

The Queen cleared her throat—believing the King knew what it was she'd been about to say. "Well, my OB GYN told me that it all starts with—"

Vegeta interrupted her again, impatient for an answer to the question he mean to pose. "How did this…_feeling_…come to be and why?"

Her heart went out to him all the more; the uncertainty in his tone made him all the more precious to her. "I'm not sure when. Probably back when I first met you, though I was too stubborn to admit it to myself or anyone else at the time. And as to why…well, love isn't a choice Vegeta. Love is—"

"Not a choice?" he echoed in a hollow tone, his face darkening as he spoke. He looked away from her as if he found something she'd said to be offensive. "I disagree," the universe's most powerful Saiyan stated self-assuredly. "One can choose **if** or **who** they love if there is no bond. And I choose not to."

His reaction didn't surprise her too much, but damned if it still didn't hurt to actually hear him say those words. "I knew you'd say something like that," she said gently, her hands clasped before her in a beseeching manner. "I want you to know that I understand your decision. I—"

"You think _you_ understand **me**?!" King Vegeta broke in incredulously, a fierce scowl on his face as he turned toward the human female angrily. Bulma winced as he continued, his voice growing steadily louder. "How the fuck could someone like _you_ ever understand someone like me? You're just some scrawny little human bitch with a bug up your ass and big dreams about exercising some kind of power over me, so don't give me that damn 'I understand you' bullshit, because it doesn't work on me!"

Bulma swallowed with some difficulty and looked away from his smoldering gaze, concentrating on a loose thread on the rug beneath her feet. "I-I'm sorry if I came off wrong…I didn't mean to—"

"And why are you acting so fucking docile all of a sudden? Am I supposed to believe this is because of your '_feelings_'?" He said the "f" word as if it was a particularly nasty and vulgar word that left a taste in his mouth.

Her hands clenched into fists without her even realizing it as she forced herself to keep an even tone as she responded. "I'm tired of always acting tough around you. I'm tired of pretending I don't give a shit when I really do. If you'd pull your head out of your ass, you'd see that you probably are too."

Vegeta scoffed at that suggestion. "Don't presume you know me," he told her in a much quieter warning tone, even as he felt a surge of some unidentifiable emotion surge through him as Bulma's cerulean eyes met his with that fierce determination he associated with being Saiyan.

"What the hells do you want from me!" the human female exclaimed fiercely. "I've opened up my heart to you for better or worse. The least you could do…" she trailed off, angrily wiping tears from her eyes, refusing to look away.

Her mate's reply was delivered cordially, as he tried to ignore the emotions the sight of her tears invoked. "This is a painful subject for you. Your tears, the changes in you, the confusion…how can you possibly think this love thing is so great when it's obviously so potentially destructive? Before that love shit entered the equation, things were different," Vegeta finished, ignoring the slight throbbing ache between his temples and merely dismissing it as a headache.

It was Bulma's turn to scoff. "Oh come off it," she said angrily, her eyes bright with tears still left unshed. "Since when have you ever taken the easy way out, Vegeta? I don't even think I know you any more," she finished with disgust. The enraged scientist and former teacher walked past him summoning every ounce of her dignity as she concentrated on the exit. He stopped her by grabbing her wrist.

"Wait," he said, a slight frown on his face. "You can't expect me to admit to being or feeling a certain way I don't understand. I know I do feel something for you, but that could be merely lust, a fixation of some kind, or hells, it could even be pity for all I know," he finished, his eyes imploring her to really hear what he was saying.

"I'm not sure you're capable of pity," she said lowly not looking at him as he chuckled. Bulma felt torn between her anger and frustration with the thickheaded Saiyan, and her desire to stay and _make_ him understand her feelings no matter what. _How long has it been since we've kissed?_ She wondered, her pulse quickening beneath his firm, but gentle grip as she imagined their last encounter.

Her reaction came as some surprise. It was as if all of the insults the two had thrown at each other had never been said. Somehow she knew that the hateful things Vegeta had said earlier were more his way of fighting how things around them seemed to be galloping forth without his ability to control or stop them.

_I have to keep in mind how hard this is for him. He's had less time than me to think about things. And the very concept of bonding—which I'm sure is the Saiyan equivalent for love, or at least something like love—is not necessarily considered to be a positive thing on this planet. Because in a way, Vegeta was right. Love can be pain and confusion. _Bulma took a deep breath and exhaled in an effort to brace her for what she was about to do. _And so I will show him the other side of love._

"I promise I won't force it on you ever again," she said gravely, painfully aware of his nearness—his scent, that aura of strength and masculinity that never failed in driving her to distraction. She shuddered slightly.

Vegeta's voice was as tender and warm as a lover's caress as he spoke again. "Bulma--"

The Queen cut him off. She didn't want to stop now or she'd never get this out. "I wanted to tell you this because I'm pregnant." Bulma didn't even bother looking for his reaction. She closed her eyes bit her lip as if an effort to keep further confessions from spilling forth.

"How far along?" he asked in the entirely nonchalant tone of one who was used to hearing this kind of thing.

What the blue-haired Queen noticed right off was how he released her wrist from his grip as he spoke as if he was trying to dissociate himself from her and her unborn child. "Two or three months," was her quiet but at the same time, strong reply as she hugged her arms for warmth. What she wouldn't give to be able to search those onyx orbs for some kind of reaction but she simply couldn't allow herself to do so. At that moment in time, Bulma was extremely vulnerable, and if she saw something she didn't want to see in her mate's eyes, or didn't see something she needed to see there, it would hurt her like nothing in the mortal world ever could.

Yet, when the King turned her around and lifted her chin so she was forced to meet his gaze, she saw no resentment, disgust, or reproach there. What she saw looking out at her was a certain tenderness she would have associated with Amnesia Vegeta. The tears did fall then as she unabashedly met his gaze.

"Why do you cry?" he asked her, gently wiping the tears from her eyes with his thumbs, caressing her face.

_Because I'm relieved! I'm ecstatic! You may not love me, but you don't hate our child or me. And I was so worried that you would. _The human Queen of the Saiyan race was so emotionally overwhelmed, all she could do was shake her head and fold her lips to keep the sobs from bursting forth.

Vegeta continued, and it seemed to Bulma that he honestly didn't understand the reason for her tears, though he seemed to know it was a difficult question to answer. "Did you think perhaps that I would be angry? That I would demand you terminate it? That I would deny being the child's sire?"

She swallowed with some difficulty. "Well…" she managed, trailing off as she saw the corners of the King's mouth curve upward in a rare smile.

"I think better of you than that. If you really thought I would believe that En bastard had the nerve touch you, maybe you don't know me as well as you think," he said lightly, the soft material of his ever present gloves making lazy circles at a particular spot on the base of her neck.

The Queen closed her eyes as she wrapped her arms around her mate as best she could, resting her head upon his muscular chest. _If I can't have his love, than I have the next best things: his trust and respect. I can live with that for now,_ she thought, smiling as she felt Vegeta's arms return the embrace.

The King held the earth woman close, a part of him wanting to believe that this peace, this sense of "rightness", this feeling (whatever the hell it was, he really didn't want to know) would never end. _I always feel this way when I'm with her,_ a part of his mind said. And he realized it was true. It was only with this human female that he felt at ease enough to show his less cutthroat, "human" side.

**But this is merely the calm before the storm, Your Highness** a voice that was not his own said in his mind.

As searing pain shot through his skull like a seemingly infinite barrage of red-hot bullets, Vegeta jerked out of the human female's embrace, holding his head and grimacing.

Her face and voice showed her alarm at the sudden change. "What is it?" she cried, temporarily frozen between her fear and her desire to help. "What's wrong, Vegeta?"

Vegeta could barely hear her. The pain was so intense that he staggered back against a wall (knocking over a chair and an inn table in the process) a howl of rage and pain escaping his lips as he fought a strange sensation in his mind. It was as though there was someone there who knew all he knew, felt all he did, and could see all he did.

**Tell her, Your Highness. Tell her that this is the beginning of the end for you both, **the voice crowed in a disturbingly familiar fashion.

The pain seemed to double then and Vegeta struggled to remain standing…but this was one battle he was not destined to win. His last view before he fell to the floor unconscious was of his beautiful Queen rushing toward him in seemingly slow motion, her face pale with anxiety. "Bulma…" he managed to get out just before the world around him turned black.

Distraught, Bulma didn't even notice when Kakkarot and Lieutenant Bardock entered the room behind her along with a few other soldiers who held ray guns in their hands. She dropped down to Vegeta's side with only one thought in her mind, as she cradled his head to her chest. Her voice was caught in her throat or she would have screamed it aloud for Kami himself to hear. _I swear I'll find out what did this to you Vegeta, if it's the last thing I do!_

And on that cliché, so ends Chapter Fourteen

Translations 

Me ga sameru: Wake up or Get up (thank you Chris for helping me with this)

Nani: What (if you are a true anime fan, you should know this one)

Temee: you (one of those tricky pronouns. It's a rude way to say you. More like saying "you bastard" or "you bitch". Kind of like kisama).

Otousan and Okasan: Father and Mother (some more commonly used words)

à Oh, just for the record. I know there are some of you who wonder why I have Bishon calling Vegeta, "Vegeta-sama". As you all know, Sama is an honorific term of address. But in this case, Bishon merely uses it to show his contempt. He uses the King's first name (which is a no-no) and "sama" to show his lack of respect for the Saiyan King. This is sort of like when there's someone you don't like who's superior to you (in rank, or something) demands you do something and you say, "yes _sir_" or "yes, _ma'am"_ (loads of sarcasm just oozing off the italicized words). You give the outward impression of being respectful when that really couldn't be further from the truth.

So, what'd you think? I have some absolutely **AWESOME** ideas for what's coming up next! Want a hint? Well, there's going to be a death or two (or even three). Just expect the unexpected. Geez, we need some comedy! There's been a lot of angst and some romance, but no humor (well, personally, I enjoyed Zarbon's humiliation at Freeza's hands but that's because I'm evil). I absolutely can't stand that little bugger or his little conniving whore of a gal pal, Anyla.

On this chapter, well, I got sick of the two of them pretending not to care when it's so obvious (to us outsiders anyway) that they do. But then I kind of mess things up with the creepy **voice** in Vegeta's head. Remind you of anything (besides the whole Majin Vegeta thing)? I wanted to get a lot of things out there in this chapter which is leading up to the big climax of the story (I've actually got my plans written out already! Shocking, I know). I will be taking bribes of one million dollars on up, LOL.

Seriously though, let me know what you thought! And if you have any questions, comments or etc, email Claire at: I'll get back to you ASAP…if you get filtered out or don't receive a reply within a week: gomen, gomen. I check reviews at every couple of weeks so let me know there through a review.

Well, I have a big huge project due first thing tomorrow (see, I don't **just** procrastinate here…it's my religion), so I will have to say adieu for now. Expect an update by Christmas. I'm going to have a lot of free time on my hands…unfortunately. Hey, that'd be a perfect time to start teaching myself Japanese again.

Ja ne minna-san! And yay for Turkey Day! Or at least, it was Turkey Day when I tried to post this.

Claire-chan/B16

Note/Rant: Some of you may have noticed there was a considerable amount of swearing in this chapter (that isn't saying much since there hasn't been much swearing for a while). Words like "fuck" or "fucking" (5 times), "bitch" (3 times), "shit" or "bullshit" (eleven times) were used in here, and in some instances by Bulma. Outraged? Shocked? Horrified? Then this isn't the story for you. Bulma Briefs is many things but a saint isn't one of them. The same goes for all DBZ characters. Even Goku swears for crying out loud. So, now that I've satisfied my urge to complain about those who believe I shouldn't use profanity in this fic, I'm going to bed.


	15. Chapter Fifteen

**Author's Note**: Hi everyone!This chapter just may be among my favorites; you'll find out why soon. It's ultra long as a Happy Holidays present to all of you! Lots of stuff happens here, so kick back, relax, take your time and savor the flavor of this chapter

On a more serious note: Please heed the R rating for this fic. Expect swearing…a **lot** of swearing. There is also other mature content (no lemon, but as close as I could get to it, LOL). In addition, there's a **rape** occurrence, but it's very brief and not very graphic. **IF** you would like to skip over that part, _please_ do **NOT** read the paragraph that begins:**_ "He'd taken her once…"_** all the way up until you reach the part that starts: **_"She felt dirty…unclean…contaminated_**." It's a short section and you won't be missing out on much by skipping it, but I want to be considerate to those who've been violated.

**Disclaimer:** I, Bulma16, do solemnly swear that I do **not** own DBZ or any of its characters. That honor belongs to Toriyama-sensei…I do, however, own the rights to all the other weirdoes, like Anyla, in this fic (lucky me…).

**Dedication**: This chapter is dedicated to several people: the Haters of Freeza, Fans of angst, Lovers of romance, and to those who've been begging me to give the stubborn, dumb-asses a break. I love you guys most of all.

* * *

Learning to Love: Chapter Fifteen

Vegeta could feel her pulse accelerating beneath his fingertips so he knew she was feigning sleep for one reason or another. He laughed softly. This woman was an enigma wrapped inside of a riddle, wrapped inside of a puzzle shrouded in a mystery, and gods damn it, it was taking all of his patience and then some to keep himself from strangling her. He pushed loose strands of hair from her face, surprised by his own actions. As he looked down at Anyla, Vegeta found himself thinking, _she looks so…fragile._ _And yet I know her to be as strong a woman as any Saiyan._

At that moment, the King was swamped by feelings he had never felt before…and he found their effects to be as intoxicating as the sweet smell of Anyla. _What is this I'm feeling _he wondered as he watched the slow rise and fall of her breathing, mesmerized by the sweet innocence he saw in her faceHe felt protective of her, especially after the security incident a short while ago. As Vegeta silently gazed down at his mate lying safe from harm in their bed, he found himself moved to plant a kiss on her lips. Why, he didn't know, but for some reason, it just felt right…

Their coupling had been exhilarating and, in Vegeta's experienced opinion, one of the best lays he ever had. There had been nothing false between himself and Anyla; it had all been based on primal instincts and untainted by ideas of greed, duty, or manipulation.

Vegeta hesitated as he put on his gloves. There was something about Anyla that made him want her again and again. Even as she had been furiously speaking out against him, he'd found her outrage in some way, to be arousing. Perhaps it was seeing how passionate she was or how beautiful and intelligent…

"Because…I love you and I don't want you to leave," Anyla said softly, her face so full of earnesty that he was taken aback. "Kami knows I fought it every step of the way but there's no denying how I feel anymore." Anyla smiled at the look of surprise on his face. "I know you can never truly love me as I love you, and I can accept that."

_Wait. That can't be right,_ a small part of King Vegeta's mind insisted.

**But who else would it be Vegeta? That other woman? She's the one who betrayed you! The one you love is me**_…_

"Anyla," he croaked; the first words to pass his lips in hours. _Is she the woman whose words are stuck in my mind? Who claims to love me even if I can not ever return her feelings? Is she the one whose will I hope to fulfill,_ Vegeta wondered, slowly rising from the depths of his unconscious mind. _Every memory I have is of her. And the only desires I have are…to be with her and to please her_.

But things couldn't possibly be as simple as that for Vegeta. Deep within his faulty memory, he had a fleeting recollection of another woman (with blue eyes? Hair? Skin? He couldn't remember which) but that very insistent voice in his mind told him that she was not one to dwell on. She wasn't a part of his new mission; she was against him and subsequently, a trivial concern at best.

As Vegeta fought to regain consciousness, several thoughts rushed through his mind at once. One was: _the pain in my head is gone,_ followed closely by: _Where is Anyla? I must go to her._

* * *

Bulma tried to swallow past the lump in her throat as she watched the man she loved more than life itself stir on the medical cot at long last. She stood, mesmerized by the steady rise and fall of his chest as she strained to hear any other utterances from her unconscious mate. All she heard was a loud snapping noise. She looked down to discover that her ballpoint pen snapped cleanly in half within her grasp and she realized with mild astonishment that her fists were clenched in anger.

Hearing that conniving bitch's name from Vegeta's lips had infuriated her more than she thought was possible at a time like this. Jealousy reared its ugly head and could have very well taken control of her completely if she didn't she quickly quash it. _I'm a genius scientist and a Queen_. _Jealousy is not a word in my vocabulary, damn it!_ _So_ _don't make a fool of yourself Bulma, _she told herself calmly, fighting the urge to cross her arms over her chest in an unconscious imitation of her mate's defensive posture.

Queen Bulma glanced at the monitor at Vegeta's bedside. He was still perfectly stable. Funny thing was, he'd been perfectly stable throughout this whole ordeal. She'd ordered several tests to rule out a number of disorders, and they all came back normal. In desperation, she'd taken a CAT scan only to find that there were a number of peculiar electrical impulses surging in one area of her mate's brain…more specifically, the area of the brain responsible for long term memory. Other than that, he was in perfect health.

_I wonder if I'll be meeting Amnesia Vegeta again, _she thought, a wry smile on her face as she wiped the blue ink from her hands with a wet wipe. _Well, it'd probably be smarter to try to figure out **why** this is happening to him. Could this have been brought about by the antidote? No, we tested that extensively. Maybe it's a…no, it can't be. But…what other explanation is there?_

Just then, she heard Vegeta growl something under his breath that sounded like, "My life is yours." _But there's no way in hell he'd ever say something like that. I must have been imagining it,_ she told herself, dread filling her heart as she watched him slowly coming awake. He groaned once, his head turning to one side, his eyes still shut.

_I better remove those IV's before he decides to rip them out,_ she thought, feeling a stab of love in her heart for the seemingly vulnerable looking Saiyan as the sheet she'd draped over him slid from his body onto the floor, baring his nearly naked body. _Thank Kami, he's waking up,_ she thought, a tender expression on her face as she walked to his bedside, her hands jammed into the pockets of her lab coat. _I want to touch him. I want to kiss him, I want his arms around me, _she found herself thinking with a flush of embarrassment. But something told her she couldn't; not yet. Bulma removed the IV's from his arms, ignoring the velvety, tantalizing warmth of his skin as best she could.

Much to her surprise, she saw a blur of motion and then the next thing she knew, Vegeta was sitting up, holding her wrists in his hands, an expression she didn't readily recognize on his face. "You," he growled angrily, leaping off of the bed and forcing her to take several steps back. "What the fuck do you think you're doing here?" he demanded angrily, his lip curled up as if the sight of her was repulsive.

Bulma frowned in irritation as she tried to figure out exactly what the effects of this new affliction had on her mate. "Let me go, Vegeta," she said evenly as she recognized the expression-or lack thereof-in his eyes. He looked empty. Blank. _Like an android_. _What could have done this to him?_ She wondered, looking over his shoulder and into the security camera. _Please Kami, let someone see this and get help, _she thought, knowing that the chances of that were slim at best. She'd ordered everyone out hours ago insisting that they were in her way.

His grasp tightened considerably; any other woman would have cried out at the pain, but Bulma Briefs merely met his gaze, her expression never changing in the least. In the back of his mind, Vegeta felt as though he should feel a certain way over this woman's stubbornness (proud? Amused?) but trying to remember made the old pain return, so he settled for being annoyed. "Bitch, you've got balls, I'll give you that," he rasped, forcing her back several more feet

_The switch! _Bulma thought, hiding her uneasiness. _If I'd had_ _that damned emergency switch Kakkarot and Bardock kept insisting I have installed just in case of something like this... I wouldn't be in this mess alone._ "What's wrong with you Vegeta? Don't you know who I am? Who you are?"

For a moment, uncertainty was on his face as he tried to remember exactly who this woman was, but that quickly disappeared as the voice comforted him. **She is of no consequence, Your Highness. She is our enemy but we can not kill her yet. We have more important things to do first.**

Vegeta sneered at her. "You are nothing to me," he told her as he slammed her back against the wall.

She scowled at him, ignoring the tiny urge she had to beg him to remember her. "Then kill me you fucking asshole!" she ordered him bitterly, spitting in his face.

It was the fire that burned in her eyes and surprisingly, not the voice's orders that gave him pause. For a split second, he wanted to take her there against the wall; to feed off of the fiery heat she radiated until both of their bodies were ablaze with passion, but then he remembered…the mission. _I have no time for carnal desires. I have a mission now, _he reminded himself as he wiped the spit from his faceHe pushed her arms over her head, a smirk on his face as he noticed her sharp intake of breath as he cupped her face in his hands. "It is not yet time for that bitch. But I swear to you that when she says that I can, I will have you beg me for it."

_I can just guess who that "she" is!_ Bulma bared her teeth at him, a growl of rage escaping her throat. "Get away from me!" she screamed angrily, kicking out at his groin.

He realized her target in the nick of time, backing away from her, his eyes narrowed in vexation. "Bitch, you--"

"Don't fucking talk to me! I'm not afraid of you Vegeta! And I never will be!" she interjected, menacingly taking a step in his direction, her eyes blazing with all of the intensity of the fires of hell.

Vegeta withdrew a step without even realizing it, eyeing the incensed human woman with much the same wariness as one would eye a rattlesnake poised to strike. Her indignation and refusal to be intimidated unnerved him. The voice had said that this woman would be an easy kill, and yet he found himself wondering if maybe she was somehow masking an immense power level in an effort to catch him off guard with her attack. _A woman of her courage can't possibly be as weak as I detect her to be._ "You are the first person to ever speak to me like that," he said slowly. "And you'll also be the last."

The hairs on the back of Bulma's neck stood up as energy seemed to swirl around her mate. _He's powering up to kill me,_ she thought numbly.

And then-at last!-help arrived in the forms of Kakkarot, the Lieutenant, and Lord Vegeta as they burst through the lab doors.

"Your Highness," the royal guard said, uncertainly looking from Bulma to Vegeta.

"What's going on?" Bardock asked, a slight frown on his face as if he already knew what was going on and didn't like it.

Vegeta turned to face the three of them, his face vacant of all emotion. "Well, well," he said softly.

Bulma disregarded him as she tried to fill the three men in. "He's not himself! I think that bitch, Anyla, has something to do with this."

The brainwashed King whirled to face her, an odd expression on his face as he repeated what she'd just said. "'That…bitch…Anyla.'" _Why did those words sound so familiar?_

The Queen jumped on this opportunity, taking his sudden spacing out as a sign of him trying to remember something about Anyla. "Remember Vegeta? She was your fiancée before I came here! You had her banished from Vegetaseii for betraying us to Freeza!"

Lord Vegeta cursed beneath his breath. _That fucking whore. I shouldn't have convinced the boy to spare her life, _he thought angrily _what a time to develop a sense of morals_. He watched his son curiously. The boy didn't seem to be listening to what his mate was saying; his head was cocked to the side slightly and it almost looked as though he was listening to something none of them could hear. Lord Vegeta glanced at Bardock. The Lieutenant's lips were folded tightly as he met the former King's gaze. The father of four nodded, indicating he'd come to the same conclusion. _She's using some kind of mind control on him…_

**She's a liar, Vegeta. I have been with you since the beginning, trying to help you see the truth my love. But this woman tricked me; she fooled us all with her innocent act. And now that you can see the truth of things, see how desperate she is to fool you again?!**

The funny thing about that statement was that the blue haired woman didn't seem at all desperate to him. She seemed terribly sincere; as if she believed what she was saying with all of her heart. _But any fool can convince themselves into believing anything if the will is strong enough, _he told himself, ignoring the small part of him that told him that the voice was wrong. The voice couldn't be wrong. Her voice was all he knew, and if that one thing wasn't true, well, what did he have to live for?

"She's talking to you now, isn't she Vegeta?" Bulma guessed, her voice devoid of the anger and jealousy she felt building up inside. "Inside of your head?"

He met her gaze, his eyes as blank as before. "And so what if she is? It is our bond. A sign of the connection fate has made between us."

She felt as though he'd just ripped out her heart and squashed it underfoot. _A…bond? But…that's permanent for Saiyans, isn't it?_

As if he could read her thoughts, Vegeta spoke five words that nearly drove Bulma to tears. "Till death do us part," he said absently.

The Queen was so grief-stricken that she could no longer look at him. Seeing him standing there speaking so highly of the woman who had nearly brought about the destruction of their planet…it was nauseating.

Lord Vegeta was just as disgusted as Bulma, but he couldn't take his eyes from his offspring. _Strange. The boy looks as though he's trying to tell us something. _

And indeed, it looked as though Vegeta was fighting some kind of internal battle. His eyes looked like they were back to normal as he spoke, his voice firm with his conviction. "Do not try to interfere. Do not try to stop me. Protect her from…" he trailed off as if he couldn't bring himself to finish.

That voice with actual inflections. It was the voice of the man she had joined with. The man she'd come to love. Bulma turned to face him, her clenched hands shoved into the pockets of her lab coat to hide their trembling. "V-Vegeta."

Her voice seemed to have a negative effect on him. He snarled at her. "Bitch, what the fuck did you do to me?" he shouted, reverting back to the callous stranger he'd woken up as mere moments ago.

"Sire," Kakkarot said loudly in an effort to capture the outraged and-evidently brainwashed-Saiyan's attention.

King Vegeta exhaled deeply before turning to face them, a much more neutral expression on his face as he faced the men who knew him best. "Do not stand in my way," he told them simply, walking past them. He paused for a moment in the doorway, a gloved hand resting on the door frame. "I'll be back to kill her. And when I do come, there will be nothing any of you can do to stop me," he told them softly without even bothering to face them again. And with that dark prediction said, he was gone.

"Damn it all," Lord Vegeta cursed, pounding his fist in one hand. "As much as I hate to admit it, he's right."

Bardock crossed his arms over his chest, shaking his head in disgust. "Not even if the three of us were to fight him at the same time. Damn, that Anyla has really got us over a damned barrel."

The King's guard moved to Bulma's side. "You okay, Your Highness?"

She waved a hand as if to banish his concern. "Don't worry about me, I'm fine," she said calmly. "Actually, I'm about to start work on a new project, so if you guys could…" she smiled pleasantly to make the request seem less harsh.

"Just a second," Bardock told her, impressed by her composure but persistent on his point. "We have to talk about this."

"Should we go after him?" his son asked, his brows furrowed.

The Lieutenant sighed and crossed his arms over his chest. "We should but we **won't**. The King gave us a direct order while he was in what I believe to be his right mind, and we have to follow it."

Bulma cleared her throat. "Listen guys, I was thinking…well, maybe we're no match for Vegeta physically, but I know we could figure out a way to outsmart Anyla."

"Now there's an idea," the former King said, rubbing the hair on his chin thoughtfully.

The Lieutenant sat down in one of the chairs near Bulma's desk. "We should probably keep an eye on him 24 hours a day," he suggested.

"En-San could help us with that," the Queen added. "But in the mean time, can you guys think where Vegeta would go in his current state?" she asked, her voice somber.

Lord Vegeta grimaced as he tried to think of some of the places on Vegetaseii where Anyla could be hiding out. "Considering who else is involved in this fuck-a-roo, I have a feeling we don't really want to know."

* * *

Morose Street

(About 620 km from the castle)

She stood motionless in the doorway staring at him in astonishment for a good 30 seconds; the genius and effectiveness of her ploy momentarily surprising even her.

"Vegeta," she murmured, taking a half step toward him.

"Anyla," he said simply.

The red strands in her black hair seemed to glow in the light of one of Vegetaseii's suns and she wondered if he was feeling the same stir of desire as her at that moment in time. _Hmm, I never imagined I'd still be attracted to him after all he's put me though,_ she thought, a small smile on her lips as she surveyed her prize.

What she loved more than anything else about him were his new eyes. She was used to seeing those expressive black orbs brimming with aversion or spite whenever she'd been with him in the past. But now they were full of beautiful emptiness. Completely devoid of hatred or any other emotion. Why, he was as good as being her puppet as he was now! He would go so far as to slit his own throat or even castrate himself if she told him to—but of course, there was no way she was going to let him off so easily.

Anyla smiled and held her arms open in way of an invitation. "You came."

Vegeta, the brainwashed King of all Saiyans, swept a woman he had formerly referred to as Vegetaseii's most dangerous enemy into his arms in a tender embrace, pressing a gentle kiss to the top of her head. "I am here with you, at last," he said softly.

The shrewd woman felt the urge to fornicate with him then-Kami only knows how many times she'd dreamed about it after her banishment—but she dismissed the urge as quickly as it came. "Vegeta, we must leave Vegetaseii…**now**. We have much to do, you and I," she practically purred, easing out of the safety of his arms.

Vegeta nodded once. "I am already looking forward to our travels together."

Smiling, Anyla dragged him inside of her humble abode. "You don't know how it delights me to hear that," she told him. _And you don't know how much it'll 'delight' your little whore to hear you say that,_ she thought, laughing.

* * *

Planet Vegetaseii: The Queen's laboratory

(Two and a half weeks later)

"Damn it, damn it, damn it!" the irate female swore as all of her research documents fell to the floor.

"Need some help?" a voice asked her from one of the empty cots.

Bulma shook her head at Kakkarot's inquiry. "No, no I got it," she reassured him as she got on her knees and began picking up the papers.

He went back to his magazine. "All right, then."

She hid a smile at his relaxed manner, a part of her relieved. For the first week or so, the king's guard had been so on edge around her that she'd begun to dread his presence. But for the past couple of days, he had begun to act more like a person…_Thank Kami_.

The scientist sighed as she finally got all the papers up. _Now I'm going to have to put all this crap back in order,_ she thought, her brows furrowed in irritation. She put them in order automatically as her mind wandered to other things…like Vegeta. _Heh, it seems like I'm always thinking about that asshole,_ she thought, a rueful expression on her face. _I wish I could do something to help him. I feel so useless sitting here with my stupid inventions._ So lost in her thoughts was she, that the distracted Bulma didn't even realize that she sighed aloud.

"He's fine," Kakkarot said simply, never looking up from his magazine.

Bulma laughed. It was kind of uncanny how he knew when something was bothering her. Chichi had told her once that this was why among Saiyans, Kakkarot was considered to be a freak. And the explanation for the difference? Well according to her best friend: "He had an accident when he was young and hit his head. That's why he's not like the rest of them."

"I know, I know. I just wish I could do more. I feel so--"

"Useless?" he supplied.

She nodded mutely, clearing her throat as she felt an annoyingly familiar urge to cry.

Kakkarot sighed as he put down the combat magazine Bulma had bought him. "I know what you mean. I'm the King's guard. I feel like I should know better than anyone exactly what to do. But…well, here I am, sitting on my ass, doing what any new recruit could do," he said, with the slightest trace of bitterness in his voice.

Rather than feel insulted by his words, Bulma felt herself sympathizing with the young man. "I know, I know, I'm no prize to be around all the time. But maybe Bardock chose you for what they all believe to be such an important job because he trusts you more than anyone else."

Chichi's mate shrugged, a small smile on his face as he noticed some of the melancholy leaving her. "Okay, I guess I'll buy that."

Bulma smiled back at him. "Good. Now stop worrying. We're all doing all that we can…" she trailed off as she realized what she was saying.

Kakkarot nodded at her, satisfied that she'd gotten the point.

The Queen shook her head in bewilderment as the guard went back to his magazine. _That boy is not as stupid as they-or more specifically, Bardock-think he is._

As she looked down at the data from her inventions latest test run, she nervously chewed on the end of her pen (a habit her father had absolutely **hated** when they'd worked together). _According to this readout, experiment XJ12 currently lacks the proper structure to carry out its function properly. So maybe if I was to design it a little more like this…and the trigger here…and a safety, of course…and voila! I better star working on this first thing tomorrow. But now…_she glanced down at her watch. "Oh damn it! Kakkarot, I'm about to run over to your place. I told Chichi I'd come visit her over an hour ago."

He eased off of the cot, the magazine still clutched in his left hand. "I'm right behind you."

* * *

"I told you not to worry about it Bulma! For cripes sakes, I fell asleep and lost track of time myself, so I'm not angry at you!"

The blue haired woman sighed in relief. "Good, because I really need someone to talk to," she said as she sat down across from the eight months pregnant woman.

Chichi raised her dark brows raised in suspicion. "Another one of your secrets?"

Bulma crossed her legs slowly. "Not really…"

"Tell me, tell me!" her friend chanted excitedly.

_This is harder than I thought it would be,_ she thought, wringing her hands in her lap. "Well, you know how I've been really…um, I guess the word is 'composed' about all this? How every time one of you ask me how I'm coping and I say 'fine?'"

"Yeah."

"I've been lying," she admitted, her eyes bright with unshed tears. "I feel like I'm dying inside. I want to throw a tantrum like a two year old that's had their candy taken away. Make fun of me if you want, but I miss him **so** much!"

The pregnant Chichi put her hand over Bulma's, a wry expression on her face. "Now why would I laugh at a woman who's doing everything in her power to help the crazy man she loves?" she asked, the smile on her face showing she was only kidding.

Bulma tried to swallow past the lump in her throat. "But this is totally unlike anything I've seen before. He's being controlled by that-that devil woman! How on earth do I stop something like this?" she cried.

"By believing in yourself for one," her best friend advised her, her tone much gentler than usual. "I understand you feel like crap right now. I'd be worried if you didn't. But you are Bulma Briefs; the Queen of Vegetaseii and one of the greatest scientific geniuses in the universe. You have to be stronger than anyone else, because in this time of crisis, we all look to you."

"Y-you're right Chichi," the blue-haired Queen said slowly, standing up with a look of determination on her face. "I'm not going to sit around and sulk. I'm not going to rest until I have that bastard where he belongs: right by my side!"

"That's the way."

Bulma smiled at her pregnant friend. "I'm so grateful Chichi. Is there something I can do to repay you?"

"Well, my feet could use a nice rub down, and since Kakkarot isn't here…" she looked at her friend pointedly.

Bulma blanched. "How about something that won't make me nauseous."

Chichi threw a magazine at her and the two of them laughed, and for a while at least, Queen Bulma forgot the gravity of the situation they were in.

* * *

Somewhere in space

(About a week later)

"Vegeta; it's nearly time," Anyla told him softly, her face alight with excitement. They were finally there! They'd spent a couple of days on some small planet stocking up on supplies, having some technological problems taken care of, and refueling Anyla's ship in order to make the long journey. And now, at long last, they'd be able to complete their first mission.

_This will bring me one step closer to being able to kill that bitch_, Vegeta thought, his lips curved upwards in something that resembled a smile "**Yoshi**; I'll get started then." He tossed her his scouter, a sexy smirk on his face as he saw the confusion mirrored in her eyes. "Wouldn't want to miss the show, would you?"

* * *

Planet Freeze

"Incoming message, Lord Freeza. It's Anyla. She says it's urgent."

Zarbon looked up from the lifeless body of the gourmet chef his master had just killed for burning their afternoon meal. "Anyla," he said breathlessly.

Freeza snorted disdainfully as he stepped over Pierre's dead body, his eyes narrowing behind the green glass of his scouter. "That sleazy Saiyan bitch." Once the sleaze in question appeared on the screen, he crossed his arms over his chest. "This had better be fucking good," he growled out, still in bad spirits.

Anyla smiled. "Oh, yes, Lord Freeza, this is better than _just_ good news. It's **great** news. I have captured Vegeta."

A hiss of surprise and disbelief escaped Freeza's lips upon hearing this announcement. Zarbon heard what she said but since he didn't particularly hate the King of the monkeys as much as Freeza did and since he was busy marveling at Anyla's body, which was if he remembered correctly, _so flexible and firm_, he didn't react at all.

The lizard with all the heart and soul of a brick wall quickly recovered from his surprise. "Where is he? Bring that little shit here," he ordered, his fists clenched at his sides in excitement.

Anyla's smile only grew bigger and—to those there with enough wits about them to notice—more treacherous. "I have one more gift for you, Lord Freeza. One even better than the first," she said alluringly.

"L-Lord Freeza," one of his techies interrupted. "T-There's some unidentified object--" His eyes glazed over as Freeza's laser beam went into his left temple and out through the right.

"No interruptions!" he shrieked at all of his cowering underlings. The indignant ruler turned his frosty glare to the oh-so-smug Anyla. "I demand you send it here this moment!"

Zarbon frowned as he wiped his brow with the back of his hand. He was sweating. And he wasn't the only one; Freeza, the simpering minions…everyone. _Strange. Planet Freeze never goes above 21 degrees. What the hell is going on?_

The Saiyan woman's smile could not possibly get any bigger. "Vegeta is sending you the gift as we speak, my lord." She laughed as she saw some of Freeza's techies attempting to sneak out of the communication tower. "It's much too late, you fools. Make peace with your makers while you still can."

"Wh-what?" Freeza said, his voice full of disbelief as he felt a cold chill of foreboding events go down his spine.

Zarbon felt a terrible sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach as for the first time, he looked past the pretty face and pleasant sounding words of his former bed fellow and got a good look at the expression of pure evil on Anyla's face. _Oh fucking shit. We're done for._

The grim realization on Zarbon's face was what she'd been waiting for. Anyla blew them all a kiss, her face shining with triumph. "Enjoy hell, Freeza." And with that she was gone.

Freeza could not ignore his whimpering techies or the sudden increase in heat any longer. "What the fuck is it!?"

"S-sire, there appears to be an unbelievably large ki blast headed straight toward us. It-it's going to envelop the entire planet!"

For the first and last time, Freeza's eyes shone with terror. Everything seemed to be moving in ultra slow motion. "I-impossible! My scouter w-would have…" And yet, even as he checked his scouter, an extraordinarily powerful and highly concentrated ball of destructive ki was found about 9 miles away. _H-how-how did he…I can't—this can't be happening. _

"It's Vegeta, Lord Freeza," Zarbon said quietly as a blinding blue/white light flooded through the large glass window of the control room causing some of the techies to cry out and cover their eyes. "He hid his power level. He outsmarted us."

The lizard-like creature hissed angrily, beads of sweat gleaming on his brow and coursing down his face like tears. "That is **not** possible! No monkey could **ever** outsmart _me_!"

The glass seemed to pulse for a moment just before all of the windows shattered, raining large, thick chunks of what had once been ultra-durable glass down around them.

Freeza's eyes bulged in his head as something told him he needed to move, and fast or else. But damn it, Freeza was a man of rational thought processes, he didn't act on instinct. Why, that would make him no better than those shit eating monkeys of Vegetaseii! So the great ruler looked up, his knees trembling with terror and his heart skipping a beat in fearful anticipation. His mouth (which had but 10 minutes ago emitted orders for the extermination of millions) opened slowly in a silent scream as a particularly lethal chunk of glass cleaved him into two nearly symmetrical pieces which remained standing for an instant before they toppled to the floor, trampled by the feet of terrified techies rushing for the exit.

Shouts of pain and screams of panic filled the communication tower and the planet down below as the massive ball of ki moved ever closer to the core of Freeza's once great empire, enveloping cities and magnificent architectural masterpieces as it progressed. Zarbon closed his eyes as the heat from the concentrated energy made his epidermis bubble and sizzle most unattractively. _Heh. That asshole Vegeta always did like to overdo things,_ was his last thought before the ki enveloped the whole of the Cold empire.

* * *

About 78 miles away in space, Vegeta eyed his handiwork carefully. The Saiyan King made quite the image floating there in space in his black spandex training gi, his right palm splayed open before him, a look of focus on his face. He smirked and slowly closed his hand into a tight fist as he spoke the magic words: "Bang."

The great scourge of the universe's planet imploded with a muffled "whoosh/bang" and seemed to wink out of existence. There was little remaining debris since the blast had been so very concentrated and so very encompassing. Anyla's new partner flew around slowly in order to insure there were no survivors. Anyla wouldn't be happy if anyone had managed to make it off that planet alive, and he couldn't have her unhappy, now could he?

* * *

Back aboard the ship

(About 15 minutes later)

"Any survivors?" she asked, knowing that such a feat would be impossible considering how quickly he'd done away with the planet.

The brainwashed Saiyan shook his head. "Not a one."

Anyla nodded in approval. "Excellent work, darling," she drawled, raising her oddly-colored eyes to meet his. "What took you so long, though? You could have sent a much smaller ki blast that could have done the job faster and just as well."

The King's blank eyes and hollow voice made it seem as though he was bored with the subject. "I wanted them all to know death was coming. I wanted them to realize that there would be no escape."

The red in her eyes glittered in the lamplight and her knees quivered with desire. "You and I should never have been separated. We are much too alike to be kept apart," she proclaimed, sitting down before the controls, taking a deep breath to steady herself. _And we won't be kept apart after I have Vegeta take care of a little something. _"Are you ready for our next mission? I know you're just going to love this one..."

* * *

Vegetaseii

(One month later)

There was no existing Lifetime movie that could have ever prepared her for what she'd witnessed, and to tell the truth, Bulma had been much more shaken up than she thought she would be by the whole ordeal.

She'd stayed at Chichi's side throughout active labor, leaving once to bring the ailing woman some ice cubes to suck on and a second time to find herself something alcoholic to drink (she swore loudly as she remembered she couldn't drink and walked back into the delivery room, a look of grim determination on her face).

The raven-haired earthling had insisted on a completely natural birthing experience and things had seemed pretty bad at first. No matter how hard the tenacious woman pushed, her son seemed absolutely determined not to budge. The attending doctors were baffled by the lack of progress. The mother to be was fully dilated, there was no obstruction or anything preventing the baby from being born, he just would not be moved! Bulma had joked to the peevish woman that maybe her new son was shy and that was why he hadn't made his big debut. Chichi promptly told her to shut the hell up.

After about an hour of pushing, Bulma had warned her friend that the doctors might have to use forceps to help guide the stubborn baby out of the birth canal, but her equally obstinate friend had furiously replied that she'd be damned before she let those doctors use "salad tongs" on her baby. And so it was with a death grip on Bulma's left hand, a hasty prayer thrown up to Kami and to any other gods who might be listening, a stream of rather inventive and colorful profanities that made even the Saiyan doctors blush, and one hell of a push that Gohan was brought into the world.

Kakkarot was ecstatic…to say the least. Thanks to his enthusiasm, every palace employee knew he'd just had a son (8 lbs 4 oz), that his name was Gohan (his mate's choice) and that both of his parents expected great things from him.

Bulma had sent the new father home for the next few weeks with the reassurance that she would send for him immediately if something happened, and with a promise to have someone by her side with at all times.

But her confidence in her new invention was so great that she ignored his request. If the device did what it was built to do, she would be able take Vegeta down herself without having anyone babysitting her. _But please Kami, **please** don't make me have to use it on him._

* * *

(About 2 weeks later)

It was a beautiful day outside. The sky had cleared allowing a rare glimpse at Vegetaseii's turquoise sky. As she threw her window open and breathed in the crisp morning air, Bulma should have thrown back her head and laughed out loud; giddy with the excitement of a brand new morning just full of new opportunities! Having never been a morning person, she slammed her window shut and drew the curtains shut with a sharp flick of her wrist. _Where's the goddamned coffee,_ she thought, yawning widely as she shuffled into her kitchen.

* * *

Hours later, after she'd finished discussing finance with Lettuco, she returned to her room in order to change clothes before dinner. Normally, whenever she visited with foreign dignitaries, she had been nearly beside herself with excitement. But on that day, her self-confidence burned down to a barely visible glimmer as she felt the hairs on the back of her neck raise, sending a shiver down her spine. _Something bad is going to happen,_ she thought numbly, biting her lip.

And something bad would happen. It always did when that cold, creepy feeling came over her. And it was always something _really_ bad. She'd felt it for the first time when she was 10 and her only remaining set of grandparents were killed by a fallen power line, when her own parents had died, again when one of her jealous ex-boyfriends had attempted to burn down Capsule Corp as she was sleeping on the 3rd floor, and the last time she'd experienced the chilling sensation was when her beloved Yamcha had died. _Maybe I should tell Chichi…_ she thought, rising from her seat at the dining room table, her hands anxiously clenching the scarlet folds of her skirts.

_Don't be a dumb ass Bulma. You're just nervous because of your appointment with those Trotarians today. Nothing bad is going to happen,_ she chided herself, pulling her long white gloves on. But as she looked at her terrified reflection in the mirror she couldn't keep herself from bursting into giggles. _I am a suspicious ninny,_ she thought, smiling as she rearranged the perfect ringlets that framed her face and cascaded down her shoulders to the small of her back. _I'd be able to better cope with things if I didn't have to deal with this alone…this baby, my untraceable and brainwashed husband, all of Vegetaseii's affairs. That's an awful lot…_

A somber looking Lieutenant opened the door to her rooms, bowing as means of an apology. "Your Highness, something has happened."

_Oh no,_ she thought, her knees quivering unseen beneath her skirts. "What is it?" she asked, thanking her lucky stars that her voice sounded as firm and strong as she wanted and needed it to be right now.

Bardock cleared his throat as he looked up to see her still looking in the mirror. "King Vegeta and Anyla are on their way here."

The mention of her mate brought a million and one questions to mind but she merely voiced one, her voice as casual as that of one discussing the weather as she straightened the seam of her gloves. "How far off are they?"

"Their ship should reach here in about 2-3 days."

Bulma turned to face him, her features perfectly composed. "Very well. I guess I had better let the Trotarians know their stay here will have to be a short one." She raised an eyebrow questioningly. "Are they waiting for me in the dining room?"

He nodded, his respect for the disconsolate Queen growing as he sensed how much effort she had been putting into her composed front for the past couple of months. _You_ c_an't tell by looking at her just how strong she is,_ he thought, a slight smile on his normally impassive face.

She noticed this and raised her other perfectly arched eyebrow. "Is something funny Lieutenant?" she asked in the cool, refined tone she used to jokingly chastise Lord Vegeta whenever his often times all too vivid recounts of his sexual escapades got out of hand.

He shook his head and offered her his arm. "Not a damn thing, Your Highness," he replied, matching her tone and turning up his nose haughtily without even realizing it

The Queen laughed as she took his arm, grateful for the older man's humor at a time like this. She was going to need to keep her wits about her at all times. _Kami knows, Vegeta always shows up when it's least convenient. But I have to admit, I'm glad I'm going to get to see him again after being separated from him for so long! Even if he isn't back to normal, I just want to bask in his presence…_

* * *

The Royal Dining Hall

(About 200 minutes later)

"Gracious me, I was **never** so fucking pissed off in my life," Victoria declared animatedly, a smile on her face.

Bulma and her not-so-merry men-as she once jokingly described Bardock, Lettuco, Nappa, and Lord Vegeta-all laughed at the Trotaria's Queen's narrative account. Business dealings had ended long ago-Bulma, much like her mate, preferred to get those things over and out of the way as soon as possible-and things were slowly winding to an end over half-full glasses of Vegetaseii's best wine (a half-empty glass of Perrier in Bulma's case).

Alexis, the good-natured King of Trotaria chuckled, his purple eyes meeting Bulma's. "I'm glad you aren't one of those prim and proper types who are offended when Vicky here starts cursing. You're really an amazing woman. Your husband is very lucky."

The blue haired woman nodded slightly, ignoring the reference to her absent mate. "Thank you. I feel that after your visit here, we are the lucky ones. You're both very charming and you've really made my day with your visit."

Vicky's orange eyes lit up with excitement. "And you've made ours. I hope you don't mind, but I _am_ absolutely exhausted! Alexis and I were up all night fu--"

"That's enough Vicky," Alexis interrupted, red heat creeping into his cheeks.

The Queen of Vegetaseii smiled at the King's embarrassment from his wife's frankness. A part of her wanted to be jealous of this couple's obvious love for each other, but she dismissed this feeling as quickly as it appeared. Now wasn't the time for feelings. It was time for rational thought processes. "I don't mind at all, Vicky. I'll have Nappa show you two to your rooms. Have a good night."

"Good night," they both called as they followed the bald Saiyan out of the Royal dining room.

Forcing a smile, Bulma looked at her not-so-merry-men. "That wasn't so bad, was it?"

Bardock shrugged, not really wanting to tell her that he'd thought. _Nice performance, Bulma. You looked happy enough, but I can tell that underneath it all you're genuinely suffering._

Lord Vegeta grinned at her. "You did a fine job," he told her, voicing the Lieutenant's thoughts.

"I agree," Lettuco added, pushing his plate away from him.

Bulma forced a yawn, covering it with a white gloved hand, not wanting to tell them how she'd felt about her own dazzling performance. "I'm kind of tired," she told them, standing up and smoothing her skirts.

They all got to their feet at the same time, their chairs scraping against the linoleum floor. "Yeah, I better go make sure that idiot, Radditz, hasn't burned the place down," Bardock grumbled uneasily, unable to look at that sad little smile or listen to that forced laughter for another moment.

"See you all tomorrow," she called, as they went their separate ways.

* * *

An excerpt in the journal of ???

_Just found out that Vegeta will be back on Vegetaseii in a few days. Well, I suppose that works out fine since we have been unable to locate him or that traitorous wench all this time. That's a frightening statement, I know, especially when he could have somehow gotten here and made good his promise to kill Queen Bulma about a million times by now. But trust me when I say that that human woman is being carefully watched at all times whether she likes it or not. The only time we don't monitor her is on a busy night like tonight where security is super tight around the whole palace. They even got that lazy good-for-nothing, Radditz to show up for guard duty. Our defenses are impenetrable, thanks in large part, to the Lieutenant's vigorous training sessions for the past month._

_I'm a little concerned though. The king has been gone for a long time. I know that Bulma is holding up well under her added burdens, but how long can she keep it up I wonder? All that stress has got to be having some kind of effect on her…_

* * *

The Royal Chambers

(About ten minutes later)

She sat before her vanity mirror, a custom-made silver brush she'd received as a gift in one hand and a smile on her beautifully made-up face. _I've been smiling all day. No, not just today, but all the days before that, and the weeks before that…_ she thought, removing her gloves without looking away from the mirror. _This fucking fake smile and fake laugh, and fake everything…I don't want to pretend any more. _Atthe forefront of her mind all of a sudden was an image of Vegeta lying unconscious on a cot in her lab. That memory made her smile—which resembled more of a grimace now— dim considerably. Before she even consciously realized it, Bulma found that she had smashed the smiling image of herself, her fake smile disappearing as the glass of her mirror rained down on and around her. "Ouch," she said softly as she noticed her incensed demonstration had resulted in a rather deep and rather serious gash along the side of her left hand.

_I should get this stitched up,_ a part of her screamed. But another part of her, the part that had made her smash the mirror questioned this action. W_hy should I? So I can smile like the fucking phony I've become and say, 'oops, silly old me. I had an accident giggle, giggle'? _Bulma slid from her seat so that she was on her knees among the glass. _Kami, please help me get through this with my sanity in check,_ she prayed desperately.

It was then she made out the sound of footsteps in her living room. Purposeful steps that drew ever closer with each passing second. _Oh shit Bulma! Pick up the glass before they find out you're losing it!_ Her brain screamed at her. She began mechanically picking up the shattered pieces of her glass mirror, not realizing she was cutting her fingers as she did so.

The footsteps stopped in the doorway and she forced a smile as she looked up, preparing to make some kind of explanation for the mess and her injury.

"I--" she never had to make that half-assed excuse as her eyes met the sultry, fathomless gaze of the man that had been haunting her dreams and thoughts for so long. For a while she wasn't even capable of thought.

He smirked as he saw the blatant surprise on her face, and rapped lightly on the door with his white gloved knuckles. "Oh honey, I'm home."

* * *

Room #96

"Oh that's right! I forgot that I was going to tell Bulma what you told me."

"Hmm…?" Kakkarot said absently as he watched his son sleep peacefully in her arms.

Chichi smiled at him lovingly, adjusting Gohan's tiny cap that she'd knit for him herself. "I was going to tell Bulma about Vegeta arriving in a couple of days. I was hoping that would cheer her up a little."

The king's guard forced himself to concentrate on what she was saying. "Cheer her up? From what Lord Vegeta told me a while ago, she couldn't be happier."

"You haven't been paying close attention to anyone lately but little Gohan," she chided him gently. "But I've seen how sometimes she just looks so lost and sad…as if she feels all alone."

"That's dumb; she's got you and all of us."

Chichi rolled her eyes at her mate's simple deduction. "Goku, she's depressed. I know it's hard to tell from all the brave fronts she puts up, but she really does miss Vegeta."

Kakkarot nodded in agreement. "Yeah, well, he'll be here soon so she can put that little gizmo of hers to the test," he said lightly. _I just hope to the gods Vegeta isn't coming to kill her like he promised he would. I don't want to worry Chichi, but something tells me that when he does get here, it's not going to be for some joyful little rendezvous ._

* * *

The Royal Chambers

The blood-stained shards of glass she had been clutching in her hands fell down to the floor reflecting tiny, little pale Bulma's back up to her if she had dared look down. But there was no movement from either monarch as they stared at each other in silence.

Bulma wanted to get up and throw her arms around him, but that empty look in his eyes told her that would be an extremely stupid and suicidal idea. _How ironic. I was just thinking about lying here until I bled to death a while ago,_ she thought, biting her lip in an effort to keep from laughing hysterically.

Vegeta made the first move, strolling languidly across the bedroom until he was looming over her. "Well, well, what have we here," he said, the low rumble of his voice putting a shiver down her spine. "Looks like you're about to save me the trouble of having to kill you myself," he told her, crouching down so that they were eye to eye.

Bulma couldn't look away, try as she might. "What do you care?" she growled at him, surprised at the raw emotion in her voice.

His expression never changed as he removed his gloves one at a time. "You're right, I don't care," he said, his voice and facial expression seeming to soften a bit as he took her badly injured yet slowly bleeding hand and examining it closely, his brows furrowing ever so slightly.

She held her breath her skin tingling where he touched her. _Oh Kami, can he hear my heart beating? It's so loud! _She thought wildly as her heart slammed in her chest.

He made a tsk, tsking sound as he completed his examination. "This is going to need stitches," he told her, his eyes returning to hers.

Her heart leapt into her throat as she met his gaze again. _Vegeta? Is that him?!_ She could have sworn she saw concern—an actual emotion!—in those eyes. _But how do I know for sure? It's not like I can ask him!_ Bulma could think of nothing to respond with so she maintained her silence.

"That was fucking stupid, woman," Vegeta scolded, putting an arm around her mid-back region and another behind her knees, sweeping her up and carrying her into the bathroom. He sat her down on the countertop, switching on the overhead light and rummaging in the cabinets beneath the sink until he found the first aid kit.

"You can probably do this better than I can," he said with a grimace as he held her hand over the sink and poured peroxide into her injury. When she didn't cry out, he met her gaze, a little impressed by her composure. She was staring at him, her eyes full of bewilderment. "What the fuck is wrong with you? Are you in shock or something?" he asked her sharply, putting the back of his hand to her forehead. "Normally I couldn't pay you to shut the hell up."

Bulma shook her head, her bottom lip trembling as she struggled to keep her emotions in check. _It's **really** him._ "I-I'm just glad you're here," she said, her voice low with repressed emotion.

He shook his head at her, a small incredulous smile on his face. "You stupid woman," he said lowly, cupping the side of her face in his hand. As she leaned unquestioningly into his touch, a part of his brain screamed at him to do something (he didn't know what exactly and to be honest he didn't really care) but he ignored it, concentrating on the faint circles he saw beneath her eyes. "What's been keeping you from getting a good night's sleep?" he asked, tracing the circles lightly with a fingertip.

"You." _Damn_. She hadn't meant to say it aloud but she was just so excited by everything that she'd lost her head for a moment.

Vegeta raised his brows at her, his eyes full of a mixture of amusement and surprise. "Me? The only people who should be up at night worried about me are my enemies, Bulma," he said mockingly, going back to her hand.

She bit her lip in order to keep silent. _But I was your enemy. Or at least you seemed to think so._ No, it wouldn't be a good idea to tell him that she decided, watching as he cleaned the blood off of her hand.

"So," he began casually; _too_ casually. "Why'd you break it?"

The Queen tensed and stared down at the floor as she realized what he was talking about. She couldn't lie to him about that; he'd know in an instant if she did. "I-I don't know," she told him, not wanting to elaborate. _I felt so stupid and useless, and phony that, well I wanted that version of me dead. But I can't tell you that. You don't seem to know what happened. And I can't let you remember._

"You seemed fine yesterday," Vegeta said in that same casual tone, putting a numbing agent over the wound.

_Yesterday? You've been gone for over two months!_ "My dad always used to blame weird behavior like this on the moon."

Vegeta raised his brows, but went along with her subtle change in subject. "The moon, huh?" He started to stitch the wound shut, a bored expression on his face.

Bulma smiled at him. "Weird, right?"

"I think quite a few of the scientists here would agree with that."

"Really?"

Vegeta paused, looking up into her eyes. "What are you trying to hide from me?" he asked her quietly.

Bulma looked away from him. "N-nothing. Please, I don't want to talk about it r-right now."

With a mumbled curse he went back to sewing her wound shut. Once he was done, he cleaned the site with some antibacterial spray.

"Thank you," she said softly, her eyes meeting his.

He met her gaze but said nothing and for a while the couple neither moved nor spoke.

_This isn't right. Maybe I shouldn't hide things from him…_ "Vegeta, I--"

"Funny," he interrupted. "Something's telling me I don't want to know what it is you're about to say."

Bulma bit her lip to keep herself from shouting out confessions to him as he washed his hands in the sink. She turned slightly so that she could get a look at his face in the mirror. _My imagination never does him enough credit,_ she thought, a content smile on her face. _I wish I could just…_her thought never finished as she realized her king had met her gaze in the mirror.

Vegeta turned to face her, a smirk on his face. "See something you like, woman?"

She smiled innocently at him. "Yes, actually." The human woman turned to the mirror again and pretended to admire her reflection in the mirror. He growled at her insult and she turned to face him, laughing. Her laughter died quickly in her throat when she saw the look in his eyes.

He wanted her just as badly as she wanted him. Kami only knows who made the first move, but in a split second, the two of them were all over each other, sharing fevered kisses and driving each other wild with touch.

It wasn't long before they began doing what they loved doing best: showing their emotions through actions rather than with words…

* * *

_Oh gods, I'm pregnant,_ Bulma thought stupidly as she lay snuggled up against Vegeta's side about half an hour later. _I've been so depressed and self-absorbed that I haven't thought about anything else._ _Not even once…which is weird._ She put a hand to her only slightly protruding stomach, not expecting to feel the baby kick or anything, but merely as a maternal gesture. _I won't dwell on it. Bad things happen when I dwell on things too much._

Vegeta lay still for a while longer. There was this weird pain in his head for a moment or two that he would have fought off, but it seemed to be dying down now by itself. He let his tail slowly wander up his mate's inner thigh until she turned to face him, her blue eyes full of warmth and content.

"You're awake," she said accusingly.

"Observant, aren't you?" he quipped, trying to find out where he'd thrown his damn clothes so he could have them washed.

Bulma frowned at him and sat up, her face serious. "Look at me," she demanded, a trace of fear in her voice.

That trace emotion didn't go unnoticed. Vegeta sat up and looked at her left hand. "What, did your stitches come out or something?"

"No, I just…I want that expression to be on your face forever," was her cryptic response.

His black eyes looked into hers with something that resembled confusion, annoyance, concern, maybe even amusement within their depths. "You've lost it completely."

_Promise me you'll never leave me. Promise me you'll fall in love with me. Promise me I'm the only one you'll think of. Promise never to forget me. _"Lost it?" she repeated, a light smile on her face as her thoughts filled with all she wanted to demand from her lover. "I haven't lost anything," she paused, giving him a haughty look. "Except for my interest in you."

Vegeta growled and pulled her to him. This woman was an eternal source of intrigue to him. The moment he thought he'd had enough of her he found he wanted more. Whenever he thought he knew everything about her, she showed him there was a whole other side he hadn't even scratched the surface of yet. "You woman, need to be taught your place," he told her, laughing as he saw the spark of indignation in her eyes

She straddled him, a sweet smile on her lips as she took him in. "I think I've found it thank you." She smiled at the look of incredulity on his face. "Hey, I think I like the view from the top," she told him as she lay across his body, giving him a brief teasing kiss.

* * *

Much later, as they lay exhausted side by side, their eyes locked on each other, Bulma felt herself trying to convey a message to Vegeta with her eyes, something she wanted him to never forget again: how much she loved him. Whether he received the message or not, she didn't know; at that point all she wanted was to be in his arms, to feel his touch, because at least then she knew that he didn't hate her

* * *

Royal Chambers

(0320)

Vegeta sat up, a slight frown on his face. He'd been sleeping far longer than he'd intended to, but a nagging pain in his skull had awakened him. The pain intensified then and he got out of bed, forcing himself toward the rarely used medicine cabinet. **Vegeta**, a voice in his mind said coldly. **You have forgotten me already. You've tossed me and our love for one another aside after all I've done for you.**

"All you've…who the fuck are you?" he asked quietly, not wanting Bulma to wake up.

**I am your beloved Vegeta. Kill this stupid bitch and come back to me as we planned. She must have used one of her spells on you to make you forget about us; about me. Please try to remember**

The voice was familiar but for some reason, he just didn't want to hear what it had to say. "Stop talking to me! My place is here."

The pain in his head quadrupled as a flash of electricity shot through the part of his brain responsible for his memory. Vegeta turned to face the human female, a strange expression on his face as he realized something. _I came here to kill her. And then…I don't remember what happened after that. _His brows came down in a scowl, though his eyes lacked the anger they would need to exude to make the image complete. _And now…_he walked over to the bed, not in the least bit self-conscious of his nakedness and jerked back the covers. She was just as naked as he was. _So…through sex she made me forget who I am, did she?_ He grabbed her by her shoulder and shook her awake roughly.

Bulma opened her eyes and inhaled sharply the blank unforgiving stare of her mate made her wish she had been smart enough to take the gun to bed with her…but she'd been otherwise distracted. "It's you," she said evenly, knowing that for one, this thing liked fear and wanted her to be afraid of it and two, whatever this persona was, it wasn't Vegeta. It was basically Anyla's vindictiveness acting through Vegeta's body.

"Yes, it's me. Too bad your little spell doesn't hold me any more."

She sat up, pulling the sheet over her body. "Trust me, if I knew any spells you'd be long gone," she said bitterly. By you, she meant the cruel, unlikable version of her Saiyan lover.

His brows furrowed at her actions and he violently ripped the sheet from her grasp. "What are you covering up for? You got naked so that I might 'enjoy' looking at you, right? So stand there as you are," he told her bitingly, a sneer on his lips.

The Queen scowled at him. "I do hate you," she uttered in complete and utter loathing.

"Beautiful," he murmured, as he gazed into the face of her defiance. He dragged her from the bed and up close and personal. "Well, well, you're even more beautiful naked," he said reproachfully, though there was something else in his voice too now. It sounded like curiosity, though for some reason, Bulma immediately associated this as being a bad thing in her brainwashed mate "I wonder if those carnal desires…really are as good as they say…" he wondered aloud, his lips twisted in a malicious sneer.

"Fu--" her insult was cut short as his lips savagely claimed hers. She pushed him back with all of the power that was in her, but he was much stronger. If anything, her struggles only aroused him further so she soon stopped that.

The brainwashed Saiyan laughed against her lips as he felt her submission. "So, you've realized the futility of fighting me, have you?" he mocked.

She smiled at him then, a sexy, dangerous smile that gave him pause. "Oh, definitely," was her reply.

"What are you--" he realized a moment too late what it was she was smiling about. The knee she rammed forcibly into his groin made him momentarily lose his breath and he coughed, doubled over in agonizing pain.

Bulma's smile remained. "What's the matter asshole? Is one little human female too much for you? Maybe that's why Anyla can control you so easily; because you're **weak**."

If she wanted to piss him off she was going about it in the right way. "Biiiitttch," he wheezed, taking a half step in her direction.

The Queen laughed at him, suddenly not caring that she was playing with fire. "As long as you remain blinded by your own arrogance, you'll never be a match for me," she told him, turning to get her XJ12. _If I can just get to the kitchen, then I'll have him._

"Bulma."

The fact that her name had been said in such a soft, imploring manner made her pause, her eyes widening in surprise _Maybe something about the high stress of the situation has made Vegeta come back_, she thought, going to him. "I-I'm so sorry Vegeta," she said as she knelt before him, a sympathetic expression on her face.

He looked at her with his empty eyes and grabbed her wrists, a vicious sneer across his face. "Not as sorry as you're going to be," he promised her.

* * *

About a day away from Vegetaseii

Her plan was going relatively well, and damn it, it would have been perfect if it wasn't for the fact that Vegeta overrode the bind her poison should have held on him. Anyla had been unworried about developments and had only checked in to see if he had made it there without detection only to find, much to her disgust that he was sleeping the first time. After searching his thoughts further, she found that he had just finished fornicating with her arch rival! _That bitch is an admirable adversary, that much is true. But I'm afraid there can only be one genius in these parts,_ she thought, a grim expression on her face as she lay down.

Speaking into Vegeta's mind took a lot of effort; especially with him constantly fighting her off. If she hadn't been able to aggravate his mind with her poison, she doubted she ever could have him back under her thumb.

The Saiyan female sighed contently as she checked in on Vegeta's thoughts. He was going to make the human whore suffer before he killed her. _Kami, I love this man,_ she thought, a smile on her face. _A pity I have to use him like this._

Surprisingly, Anyla is not quite as stupid as she would have us believe. She has thought very long and very hard about the revenge she wants to exact on the Saiyan King and his human mate. And she has figured out many important things that would make her revenge particularly satisfying.

Number one: apparently, the Saiyan race took this foreigner in and accepted her like they had never thought to do for poor Anyla.

Number two: the human bitch actually had feelings for the King.

Number three: the King was beginning to take interest in the floozy (she wouldn't say he loved her—that was just going way too far).

If she could take the fact that the King had feelings for the humanoid and use that against him (for example, by making him kill the woman whose presence he so enjoyed), why that would make things all the better. In one move, she would be punishing the human bitch who had taken her rightful place, the race that shunned her, and most of all, the bastard King who had scorned her.

It was genius, pure and simple.

* * *

(Hours later)

He'd taken her body once. Twice. And then once more for good measure. Through it all, Bulma grit her teeth and kept her eyes glued to a spot on the ceiling. When he'd ordered her to look at him, she had refused, earning herself a slap across the face. She hadn't even winced and to be honest, didn't even feel it. It was as if she was outside of her body watching the events from above…she felt nothing and heard nothing. The fact that she was being raped didn't register in her mind…it couldn't possibly be happening to her.

Bulma was able to remain so impassive only because her mind kicked into overdrive, protecting itself during the course of these very traumatic events. No matter what, she knew that she couldn't look at his face or she'd see it in her dreams every night, in her thoughts every day. Instead, the courageous woman used all of her inner strength to concentrate on the one thing that never failed to lift her spirits: the contentment she felt whenever she was with her Vegeta. _I'll see him again soon. After this is over... I'll see him again. I'm having his child and we're going to be happy together._

After his third shuddering release within her, he collapsed beside her on the bed with a grunt, rolling over so that their bodies weren't touching. Bulma sat up blinking slowly, wincing in discomfort as she surveyed her many injuries. Her wrists were blue and purple from where he had pinned them above her head more to humiliate her than restrain her since she did not fight him. She had bruises on her thighs, her breasts, and on her arms from where he had handled her more roughly than was necessary. Her skin felt cold, and was slick from sweat and his essence

She felt dirty…unclean…contaminated. _But Bulma, it was Vegeta the first time you had sex tonight and it was Vegeta this time too,_ her mind told her. _You're fooling yourself into believing that the man who just raped you is someone entirely different!_ The distraught woman shook her head in denial. "No, he's not him," she whispered, her body trembling in a mixture of rage, exhaustion, and self-disgust as she wrapped her arms over her bare breasts. "That wasn't the man I swore to be loyal to. Vegeta would **never** hurt me like this." _But that bitch, Anyla..._

Her cerulean blue eyes widened in surprise. _I know what her plan is! She wants Vegeta to torture and kill me so that she can in effect, punish us both! And I bet her back-up plan is after making him do t-that to me, she hopes that I will be so heartbroken and upset that I'll kill him._ Bulma put a hand to her mouth in surprise, wincing as the pillow that had been positioned beneath her hips fell to the floor. _I swear before Kami that I will make Anyla pay for what she's done us. But that means…I can't do anything to stop him…no matter what. _

The Saiyan male turned on his side to look at her, a raunchy grin on his face. "Ready for more are you?" he asked in that disturbingly hollow voice.

Bulma lay back down and turned her head, closing her eyes in anticipation. It was hard to be strong in a situation like this. True, her very life was in danger but how could she fight him knowing that doing so would be playing right into Anyla's hands? Lying there with her legs spread, her muscles tensed in apprehension of another painful invasion, she felt so tired, so weak, so stupid, so…_I feel_ _so helpless,_ she thought, a tear escaping from behind her closed lids and trickling down her face.

She felt the bed move as he scooted toward her and the next thing she knew, she felt warmth from his being on top of her again—though this time, strangely, it didn't feel as though he was getting ready use and abuse her. His body lying across hers made her think of a warm blanket and her breath caught in her throat as he said her name softly. But he'd fooled her once today and she wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of dashing her hopes again.

His touch was gentle as he turned her head to face him and her eyes opened slowly. "Vegeta," she breathed as she met his onyx eyes which were full of both confusion and something else she couldn't place. "It's you!" _I knew he'd be back!_

"Who else would it be?" he asked, a strange expression on his face as he saw several emotions take turns making themselves known through her facial features.

"Please," she whispered, her voice beginning to break as tears streamed down her ashen face. "Please don't leave me again. I don't think I could stand it."

Vegeta sat her up, a puzzled expression on his face. "I haven't gone anywhere!"

"You have, you have!" she sobbed, hugging her knees, her iron resolve crumbling a bit under the emotional strain. "You're like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and…I don't want to be afraid of you!"

Her mate was silent for a moment, unsure of how to respond to her claim. "Bulma…" he trailed off as he noticed all of the bruises on her once flawless body. "Did I…do this…?" he asked, his voice barely over a whisper.

Bulma shook her head vehemently. "No, it wasn't you! It was him! He did it."

Vegeta frowned as he attempted to detect the scent of any outsider in the room. The only scents he picked up were hers and his. "There has been no other man here but me, Bulma! Now, what in all the hells are you hiding from me!?"

The blue haired woman was silent for a moment, her tears already beginning to dry on her face. "It **was** you, but…but…"

"But what?" he snarled impatiently.

She continued, seeing his angry response for what it really was: a mixture of guilt and self-disgust. "It's not your fault, Vegeta! It's Anyla. She has some kind of hold over your mind. For the past 2 months you've--"

"Two months? Damn it, why didn't you fucking tell me this long ago?!"

Bulma looked away from the anger in his eyes. "Because I love you Vegeta; I-I would put up with anything for you."

He growled at her soft spoken words, grabbing her forearms and dragging her up against him. "Don't give me that sentimental shit! I could have easily killed you! You're lucky to be alive, you know that?"

The human female smiled weakly in the face of his fury. "Well, if it makes you feel any better, I did get one good shot in against you; right where it hurts."

Vegeta looked as though he wanted to shake her. "You're making jokes at a time like this?" he asked incredulously.

An exhausted Bulma rested her head in the crook of his shoulder, forgetting all of her pains as she leaned against the man she had just proved she was willing to die for. "I'm just glad you're here," she whispered, closing her eyes.

He held her in his arms in silence for a while as he thought something out, her small body fitting perfectly against his. Vegeta sighed as he looked down at his woman. There aren't words enough to accurately describe how the Saiyan king felt about the crazy wench at that moment in time. Respect was definitely something she'd earned a lot of from him tonight. Using his keen sense of deduction, Vegeta guessed that he—or the sick son of a bitch he changed into—had raped the frail woman repeatedly, leaving bruises all over her body…almost as if he'd left those marks intentionally. _This is why you should have stayed away from her, _he thought, a scowl on his handsome face. _I just **knew** something like this could happen. But then again…this wasn't brought about by my lack of self-control this time. This was Anyla's doing. I'm going to need to come up with a plan in order to beat this hold she has over me. Who knows what'll happen the next time I change into that person again…_

After letting him hold her for a while in pensive silence, Bulma looked up at the Saiyan king with interest. "Penny for your thoughts?"

Vegeta relaxed his hold on her slightly as her voice broke into his contemplation. "I'm trying to think of a way to prevent this kind of thing from occurring again or…" he looked away from her.

_Or something worse,_ Bulma finished for him. She sighed, wrapping the sheet around her body. "It's weird. I've seen you, um, change from normal to the other one a few times..."

The naked Saiyan no Ou transfixed her with his penetrating obsidian stare. "And what brings about these changes?" he inquired, yet somehow Vegeta suspected he already knew the answer.

"Well, now that I think about it… it's always been something to do with me. The first time, you were telling Kakkarot and the rest to protect me, and then another time, I cut myself--"

"I remember that," he interrupted, his brows furrowed in concentration.

"And the next time was just now…" she blushed slightly as she considered what she was saying. _I'm the one thing that makes him remember himself. **Me**. Maybe that means something…_

Vegeta frowned as he quickly put two and two together, coming up with a logical explanation. "The connection would appear to be your wellbeing," he said lowly, his arms crossed over his chest. His eyes shone with mettle as he spoke again. "This might be hard considering…but I need you to tell me what I am like when I'm acting under her control."

Bulma paled upon hearing his rather bizarre request but complied. "What I've noticed most of all are your eyes. They look so lifeless…so empty. You're like a cold, unfeeling android whose only pleasure is delighting in others' pain. You refer to me only as 'bitch' and you claim that you live primarily to serve Anyla."

A look of disgust came and went over his face. "All right," he said, simply standing up and walking over to his bathroom.

Bulma watched wordlessly as the door shut behind him, and pulled the sheet more tightly around her as she tried to figure out what her mate could be up to.

* * *

(15 minutes later)

Vegeta opened the door to their bathroom letting a large cloud of steam out behind him. He stood there naked for about 5 seconds; his perfectly toned body nearly making her forget what she had decided she would say to him once he returned.

He could sense her anxiety as easily as if it was his own. _Gods, that woman is distracting,_ the naked Saiyan thought, sparing her a fleeting glimpse as he crossed the room to his wardrobe.

The fretful Queen was sitting on the edge of their bed adorned in an emerald green nightgown, her legs crossed at the ankles and her hands folded in her lap. She met his gaze only for a brief moment and then her eyes quickly moved elsewhere as if she was too afraid to let him see what was mirrored there.

Vegeta was waiting for her to come out with whatever it was she wanted to say. It wasn't like her to be so tight-lipped and he hated guessing games. "What is it?" he barked impatiently as he got into a fresh training gi.

Bulma shook her head slowly, still refusing to look at him.

King Vegeta frowned to himself as he finished dressing, pulling his white boots and gloves on self-assuredly. "Listen, Bulma," he began his tone deadly serious as his black eyes locked onto hers. "There's no telling when or if I'll see you next. So if you have something to say, then come out and fucking say it already."

"Don't leave me alone here," she murmured, her eyes awash with unshed tears. "I don't care which Vegeta you are, just don't leave me here."

Vegeta scowled. Her tears made him angry at himself for being such an asshole and they invoked another emotion in him that he didn't care to identify at that point in time. "Don't be a damned fool, woman! You have a brat to care for. The last person you should be worried about is me." He put on his scouter (leaving it switched off), still intent on making her hear what he had to say. "I thought you were supposed to be one of the smart ones, and here you are, refusing to let someone who could just as easily kill you as look at you, leave."

The harshness of his tone made her cringe. "I do care about our child! It's just that I—"

"You're fucking selfish," he interjected, crossing his arms over his chest, the red glass of his scouter gleaming in the lamplight of their bedroom. "You're only worried about what you want and damn everything else; isn't that right?"

Bulma stood up quickly, her fists clutched in anger. "No!"

"You little liar."

The human female who possessed all of the courage of a Saiyan noble looked away from his accusing stare, her lip quivering as she spoke. "I-I **do** care. I just…I want you **and** I want our child and I want to be happy."

Vegeta raised an eyebrow at her statement. "Whether you know it or not, the game you're playing is all or nothing. You'd better be more concerned about keeping what you have now and not something you never had from the beginning. Isn't there an earth saying about a bird in the hand being better than two in the bush?"

_Meaning I've never had your affections?_ She thought, slowly unclenching her fists as she walked up to the displeased Saiyan male. "Just stop it. I know what you're trying to do, Vegeta," Bulma whispered, putting a hand on his muscular chest. "You're preparing me for what you think you have to do off planet but you don't have to do anything! Please, just stay here and let me think of something," she pleaded.

"As tempting an idea as that is, I can't do it," he told her softly, pulling her body close to his and resting his chin on top of her bowed head. "Anyla was **my** betrothed. All that's she's done so far has been in an effort to hurt or get back at **me**. So **I** must be the one to stop her. You understand that, don't you?"

She gave a deep sigh, closing her eyes as she listened to the slow, steady beating of his heart. "All right Vegeta," Bulma began, her tone resigned. "I trust you. Do what you think you have to do. But no matter what happens…know I'll be here waiting for you along with your child. Please don't forget that."

Vegeta felt his breath catch in his throat. He was speechless. This amazing woman, (_his_ amazing woman) had such a powerful hold on him. With those few words, Bulma had managed to not only make him believe in himself but she also forced him to recognize something he'd refused to admit to himself up until now. _Gods…_he thought in amazement, swallowing past the lump that had suddenly formed in his throat. _Who would have thought…**me** of all people…Father would die laughing. _

"Thank you," Was all he managed to say once he'd finally recovered from his initial astonishment.

Bulma had been tempted to look up into his face to gauge his reaction after her admission of defeat, but now she was glad she hadn't. It was so easy to imagine a loving expression on her mate's face to go along with those two words he'd spoken in a way she'd describe as being loving in anyone else. _I must have been imagining that,_ she chided herself, tilting her face upward in anticipation of a kiss as she felt Vegeta's smooth, muscular hands cup the sides of her face, and then his warm breath against her cheek.

A low moan escaped her parted lips as she felt him leave a fiery trail of kisses from her collar bone to the area of her neck just below her ear. Vegeta had never done that before! Not that she was complaining. As a sign of encouragement, she put her arms around the back of his neck, pulling him closer to her, urging him to continue. Vegeta started again, beginning at the valley between her breasts this time and slowly, seductively working his way upward, making a brief stop as he captured her lips in a kiss that left her swaying on her feet.

His tongue teased her earlobe for a tantalizing moment and Bulma shuddered as she felt his hot breath against the sensitive flesh near her jugular. The Saiyan no Ou seemed to hesitate for a moment as his lips lingered over the rapidly jumping pulse and she tilted her head to one side in invitation, her eyes squeezed shut in ecstasy. "Don't stop," she begged her voice husky with longing.

Bulma's eyes flew open in a mixture of shock, delight, and pain as she felt his teeth sink into her sensitive flesh and she inhaled sharply, simultaneously arching her body against his as the sensations coursed through her body all at once. The pain lasted for only a brief moment and as she felt him sucking blood gently from the puncture site, the human female quickly caught her breath as she felt that familiar anticipative sensation low in her belly.

Vegeta looked at her enraptured face then and for a moment, Bulma almost thought her arrogant and know-it-all mate looked uncertain and almost vulnerable. A little voice in her mind told her that she needed to reassure him of something in some way. The blue-haired genius acted instinctively, her small canines puncturing Vegeta's muscular neck in the same area his had punctured hers. If she had been capable of rational thought at that moment in time, the dignified and world renowned scientist would have been shocked and bewildered by her own actions as she suckled at the wound greedily, a look of savage yearning on her normally serene face. Her mate seemed just as surprised as she by her assertive actions, but like her, he too was soon overcome by instinct and sensations at that point. Neither of them could think in terms of words any longer. Now all they knew were their feelings right then, and each other

Bulma's eyes flew open in a mixture of shock, delight, and pain as she felt his teeth sink into her sensitive flesh and she inhaled sharply, simultaneously arching her body against his as the sensations coursed through her body all at once. The pain lasted for only a brief moment and as she felt him sucking blood gently from the puncture site, the human female quickly caught her breath as she felt that familiar anticipative sensation low in her belly.

At some point, something told Bulma to stop and she raised her head so she could meet Vegeta's gaze, her own sapphire eyes clouded with desire. He growled low in his throat and the two kissed more passionately than they ever had before, groaning in desire. Their need was stronger than it had ever been. Suddenly, Bulma felt that she could never have enough of Vegeta. She needed him. Now. **Always**. And from the urgent manner in which her joined was exploring her mouth with his tongue and re-discovering her body with his hands, he felt the same way. Her need was so great she didn't have the presence of mind to wonder why she no longer felt any pain from her bruises or even to realize that somehow the two of them had ended up naked in their bed.

Bulma wasn't sure when she began to hear the drumming sound in her ears. It was as if suddenly, someone had switched the bass of two different songs all the way up in her mind. After a moment, the banging, pulsating noises quieted down and became one, slow steady beat. _That's the sound of our hearts,_ a voice in her mind told her quietly. As utterly bizarre as this thought was, she found herself immediately believing it to be true.

The invigorated woman cried out his name as he held her, her nails raking down his as she helped herself to another taste of his lips.

"Bulma," Vegeta croaked against her ravaged lips, his breathing ragged as, they both reached the peaks of their desire almost immediately afterwards...

Their impassioned breathing simultaneously reached a crescendo as their bodies convulsed together in the heights of their shared passion. As Bulma Briefs' world slowly faded to black, she thought she heard three words that made a single tear course down her flushed face: "I love you." _But that had to have been my imagination…right?

* * *

_

End of Chapter Fifteen

All right! I really love this chapter for a lot of reasons. Bulma realizes that she may have a long wait ahead of her before she can be truly happy with her "husband". Vegeta realizes that he (through no fault of his own) had become a vicious monster, **and** that a certain earthling actually means a helluva lot more to him than he ever knew before. I also love all of the loving banter between these two (aww). Let's also not forget that, Gohan is born, Freeza and Zarbon are dead. This chapter had life, death, love, hate, moments of clarity and insanity; basically everything but the kitchen sink (there was a bathroom sink, but that's not quite the same thing, LOL).

So, now you've read. The next step is to review! **AND** _if you want the lemony version of this chapter,_ I'll be posting it on in a while Let me know if you have any questions, comments, or if you want to talk about parts you **really** liked (like the possible bonding at the end…) through your review or an email: ).

Till the next update; take care of yourselves and have a Happy New Year!

Claire/Bulma16

What to expect in Chapter Sixteen:

Anyla being…herself (in other words, a manipulative bitch with a streak of vindictiveness that would put any woman to shame). Will she discover anything amiss in her former lover?

Bulma: coping with the absence of her mate, her pregnancy, the workings of a Planet, and anything else that gets thrown at the poor girl.

Vegeta…struggling to regain control of his life and with his decision to bond with Bulma…just how is that going to effect them both when Anyla's poison kicks in?

The Not so Merry Men: preparing for the arrival of the ship they believe carries both Anyla **and** their king.

A strange being with mystical powers intent on seeing Bulma. Is this person friend or foe?


End file.
